Warships from 30 Nations Join in Gulf Minesweeping Exercise as Warning to Iran

(Newsroom America) -- Warships from 30 countries, including the U.S. and Great Britain, are participating in a minesweeping exercise in the Persian Gulf amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran.

Analysts say the exercise is meant to send a warning to Iran, which has threatened to cut off shipping through the narrow Strait of Hormuz if it is attacked by Israel over Tehran's ongoing nuclear program, which the West believes is a cover for the development of atomic weapons.

Nearly one-third of the world's oil supplies pass through the strategic waterway.

Tensions have been rising between Israel and Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country cannot allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon out of fear the Islamic republic will use it in an attempt to destroy the Jewish state.

The Obama administration, which has often been dismissive of Israel, has also said Iran cannot be permitted to obtain nuclear weapons, but has insisted that diplomacy take precedence over military action.

In recent days, Netanyahu has pushed the U.S. to "draw a red line" over which Iran cannot pass without facing the risk of a military strike.

"It's important to place a red line before Iran - that actually reduces the chance of a military conflict because if they know there's a point, a stage in the enrichment or other nuclear activities that they cannot cross because they'll face consequences, I think they'll actually not cross it," he said during an interview on CNN.

Iran has repeatedly said its atomic program is peaceful, but Iran's leaders have also vowed time and again to destroy the Jewish state.

Meanwhile, a sort of shadow war against Iran's nuclear program appears to be onging. Reports Monday said power lines feeding an underground nuclear enrichment facility at Fordow were blown up.

Iranian officials accused the International Atomic Energy Agency of spying, citing a request by an IAEA official to inspect the plant shortly after the explosion.

"Does this visit have any connection to that detonation? Who, other than the IAEA inspector, can have access to the complex in such a short time to record and report failures? Terrorists and saboteurs might have infiltrated the agency and might be making decisions covertly," said Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, Iran's atomic energy chief.

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