JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's outgoing civil defense chief says an attack on Iran's nuclear sites would likely trigger a war that could last for a month and kill hundreds of Israelis.
Matan Vilnai's remarks in Wednesday's Maariv newspaper offered the most detailed insight into how the government sees events cascading in the event of a military strike.
Vilnai said the government has prepared for a scenario in which hundreds of missiles are fired at Israeli population centers during a month-long war on a "number of fronts" He says that "according to the best experts," up to 500 deaths are expected but did not elaborate further on that assessment..
Israel believes archenemy Iran is trying to develop a nuclear bomb. Tehran says its atomic program is for peaceful purposes only.
