Israel’s Danon Tells Al Arabiya No One Is Discussing Nuclear Strike on Iran

Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon says nobody in Israel or the US is discussing a nuclear strike on Iran. He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya English on Monday, Nov. 2.

The network posted the interview in clips. We could not open a full transcript, so the quotes below come from Al Arabiya’s own posts.

What Danon Said

Danon called the claims “delusional remarks.” “No one is even discussing it in the US or Israel,” he said, Al Arabiya English posted.

He said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “not pressing President Trump” to attack Iran, per the network. He added that Israel is “not dictating” US policy, it said.

He called it “not honest” to suggest Washington would strike Iran because of Israel. He said Trump “knows exactly what he wants to achieve” and “how to achieve it,” Al Arabiya reported.

Danon did not rule out force. He said Israel will support US decisions without pressuring Washington, and is prepared for any scenario.

He said reopening the Strait of Hormuz is not enough and Iran’s “bullying” must end, Al Arabiya said. He also said Iran keeps pursuing nuclear weapons, Al Arabiya Arabic reported.

What Prompted the Question

Tucker Carlson claimed late Sunday that Trump may be days from a nuclear strike on Iran’s “Pickax Mountain,” The New Arab reported. He said Netanyahu was pressing for it and that Trump could decide by Nov. 7.

Danon said Carlson is “spreading lies against Israel,” Al Arabiya posted. He said it is “not the first time” and that Carlson “knows better,” it added.

Our B61-11 explainer covers the nuclear bunker buster at the center of Carlson’s claim. Our earlier report covers the claim itself.

What Washington Has Said

On Saturday, Oct. 31, Trump said the US must still “take care of” one or two Iranian sites, RTE reported. He said it could be done “in 10 minutes” and named Pickaxe Mountain.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump “hasn’t made a decision” on fresh strikes. He said Washington would prefer a peaceful solution but has the means to act, Military.com reported.

We found no US confirmation or denial of a nuclear option. Danon is an Israeli envoy, so his claim about Washington is not a US statement.

Axios reported that Netanyahu wants strikes right after the midterms, The New Arab noted. It said Trump favors more time for talks, which differs from Danon’s account.

Where the War and Hormuz Stand

The US-Israeli war on Iran began on Feb. 28, RTE noted. Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. A ship hit a mine over the weekend, Iranian state TV said.

Iran offered to reopen the strait within two days if the US meets conditions, Military.com reported. They include lifting the US blockade of Iranian ports. Qatar and Pakistan are mediating, and no deal exists.

Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, ordered an “immediate” and “geographically unrestricted” response to any attack, RTE reported. The US midterms are on Tuesday, Nov. 3.