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Jerusalem, Jun 2 (PTI) Israel would not be able to withstand a regional conflict ignited by an aeriel strike on Iran''s nuclear facilities, but can delay Tehran''s acquisition of the bomb, a former chief of Mossad spy agency has warned.

Contrary to Israel''s declared position to "keep all options open on the table", Meir Dagan said a strike to foil Iran''s nuclear ambition would create a security challenge that would become "unbearable".

"If anyone seriously considers (a strike) he needs to understand that he''s dragging Israel into a regional war that it would not know how to get out of. The security challenge would become unbearable," Dagan was quoted as saying by Ha''aretz daily at a conference in Tel Aviv.

Israel has declared Iran''s nuclear programme an "existential threat" and its leaders have threatened with possible military action to foil the same from time to time.

The former spy chief underlined that the "military option is the last alternative, not preferred or possible, but a last resort. Every other alternative must be weighed before the use of force."
Dagan''s frank admission comes close to an earlier statement last month that a future Israel Air Force (IAF) attack on Iranian nuclear facilities was "the stupidest thing I have ever heard."
Dagan, who retired in September, has been dubbed Israel''s superman in various parts of the Arab world and the ''Person ... >>>