The threat posed by Iran to the U.S. and Israel is growing by the day, but there are also growing questions about what exactly we're doing about it. U.S. and Israeli intelligence recently sounded the alarm about a new computer modeling program that Iran can use to advance its nuclear weapons capabilities. This comes as the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels continue to disrupt shipping routes in the Middle East with attacks on U.S. and other western cargo ships.
On the one hand, U.S. leaders seem to understand the gravity of the situation, with the State Dept. saying there are "grave concerns" about Iran's nuclear program. But at the same time, the White House just canceled a scheduled meeting with Israeli officials to discuss the latest intelligence and the growing threats from Iran. The cancellation came as the Biden administration is having a public spat with Israel over the war in Gaza.
While the White House continues its back-and-forth with Israel over Gaza, Iran continues to advance its dangerous ambitions. Retired Gen. Jack Keane tells Fox News this is just the latest step in a slow build toward nuclear capability for Iran. "Even if they had a nuclear weapon---and we certainly don't want them to get to that point---they still have to be able to deliver one, and that would take some time to be able to do that," he says. "You have to miniaturize (the bomb) so you can get it on the top of a missile."
"Israel is watching this like a hawk," he continues.
While Israel has pledged to do whatever is necessary to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon, the U.S. position remains somewhat less defined under the Biden administration. "The United States, I think, is making the wrong decisions here...we should be confronting Iran over this," says Keane. "As late as three weeks ago, we were still negotiating with Iran clandestinely, trying to go back to the nuclear deal. After everything that's happened in the Middle East, does that make any sense to anybody?"
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