Israel has ‘200 nuclear missiles all pointed at Iran’ leaked private emails from former US secretary reveal
Retired army general made claims in email to Democratic donor after speech by Israeli PM
ISRAEL has ‘200 nukes all pointed at Iran’, a former US Secretary of State claimed in emails leaked by hackers.
In a private email exchange with a colleague Colin Powell discussed Israel’s nuclear capabilities.
The existence of a nuclear weapons programme in Israel is considered highly classified in both the US and the Middle Eastern state.
Israel has never declared itself a nuclear state, although it is believed to have developed nukes decades ago.
On Friday Powell, a retired army general who served as White House national security adviser and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Associated Press through a spokesman that he was referring to public estimates of Israel’s nukes.
The statement said: ";Gen. Powell has not been briefed or had any knowledge from U.S. sources on the existence and or size of an Israeli nuclear capability.
"He like many people believe that there may be a capability and the number 200 has been speculated upon in open sources.”
It added: "This email was written 10 years after he left government and has not received briefings on classified matters."
Powell, 79, has not said if he retains security clearance.
The comments were made in March 2015 during a discussion about a speech made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
During the speech Prime Minister Netanyahu opposed a deal proposed by President Barack Obama to curb Iran’s nuclear programme.
Mr Powell’s email to Democratic donor Jeffrey Leeds said: “Iranians can't use one if they finally make one.
"The boys in Tehran know Israel has 200, all targeted on Tehran, and we have thousands."
Powell’s email was sent from a personal account.
Itai Bardov, spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, declined to discuss Powell's email.
On Friday State Department spokesman John Kirby also declined to comment.
"I'm not going to discuss matters of intelligence," Kirby said. "We support the nuclear nonproliferation treaty."
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