Pulitzer Prize winner, investigative journalist, and political writer Seymour Hersh posted the following item late Thursday night on Substack, an American online platform that provides publishing, payment, analytics, and design infrastructure to support subscription-based content, including newsletters, podcasts, and video: “What I Have Been Told Is Coming in Iran – The initial battle plan for a new war.”
According to Hersh, his report outlines what is likely to unfold in Iran as soon as this weekend, based on insights from trusted Israeli sources and longtime American officials.
Hersh points to a major U.S. bombing campaign, noting, “I have vetted this report with a longtime US official in Washington, who told me that all will be ‘under control’ if Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ‘departs.’”
How that departure might occur—short of assassination—remains unclear. While there’s been extensive discussion about U.S. firepower and potential targets within Iran, there seems to be little serious consideration of how to remove a deeply revered religious figure with a vast base of support, Hersh wrote.
“The Trump administration is in full support of Israel’s current plan to rid Iran of any trace of a nuclear weapons program while hoping the ayatollah-led government in Tehran will be overthrown,” Hersh concludes.
TO NUKE A NUKE
Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich said that Washington did not rule out using tactical nuclear weapons to attack Iran’s underground uranium enrichment site in Fordo. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS, “There have been a lot of speculations, that this would be a catastrophic development, but there are so many speculations that in fact, it’s impossible to comment on them.”
Why would the U.S. deploy tactical nuclear devices to blow up Fordo when it has in its possession Massive Ordnance Penetrators, commonly known as the “bunker busters,” the 14-ton precision-guided bombs designed to strike and destroy heavily fortified underground targets, specifically Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility, and it has the B-2 stealth bomber which can carry two MOPs at a time?
Good question and the answer might be that the Pentagon is not so sure they can get all the way down into Fordo using just MOPs.
On the other hand, the U.S. possesses low-radiation nuclear weapons—also known as enhanced radiation weapons (ERWs) or neutron bombs—designed to release intense neutron radiation while limiting blast and heat damage. These specialized warheads were developed to target enemy troops and armored units with minimal collateral impact on surrounding civilian areas.
Except that, should the U.S. once again lead the world in using a nuclear device against its enemy, this would most likely entail serious objections from nuclear powers such as Russia and China.
For instance, Russia might be tempted in response to drop a few ERWs on Ukraine, and China on Taiwan.
WW3, anyone?
REMEMBER DENNIS ROSS?
Dennis Ross, a former senior official in the Obama administration, wrote in his 2015 book Doomed to Succeed: The U.S.-Israel Relationship from Truman to Obama:
“The proof that Israel could have received something significant to bolster deterrence—had it not fought the deal—came when President Obama called me in August and said he would be open to providing the Israelis the Massive Ordnance Penetrator.”
But did this offer actually take place—or was it simply a parting shot from a former Obama adviser aiming to score points against Netanyahu over his defiant speech to Congress? It’s hard to say. What is clear, however, is that Israel doesn’t possess any aircraft capable of carrying the MOP. It’s never been offered the stealth B-2 bomber or even the retired B-52—both required to deploy such a weapon. And in his book, Ross offers no details on how the Obama administration intended to overcome that rather significant hurdle.
REMEMBER THE PROPHET ZECHARIA?
As for yours truly, I plan to spend Shabbat with my family here, in Israel, pray early and often, and ask our Father in Heaven to steer us away from a nuclear war if at all possible. But if such a war is inevitable, let it be as described in Zecharia 14:12-15:
This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. On that day people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another. Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps.
And then (ibid 16-21):
All who survive of all those nations that came up against Jerusalem shall make a pilgrimage year by year to bow low to the Supreme GOD of Hosts and to observe the Feast of Sukkot. Any of the earth’s communities that does not make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to bow low to the Supreme GOD of Hosts shall receive no rain. However, if the community of Egypt does not make this pilgrimage, it shall not be visited by the same affliction with which GOD will strike the other nations that do not come up to observe the Feast of Sukkot.
Such shall be the punishment of Egypt and of all other nations that do not come up to observe the Feast of Sukkot. On that day, even the bells on the horses shall be inscribed “Holy to GOD.” The metal pots in the House of GOD shall be like the basins before the altar; indeed, every metal pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holy to GOD of Hosts. And all those who sacrifice shall come and take of these to boil [their sacrificial meat] in; in that day there shall be no more traders in the House of God of Hosts.
Do have a quiet Shabbat, as well as a pleasant Sunday, depending on your preference…
