Report: U.S. nixed Israeli Iran strike

JERUSALEM, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. officials suspected Israel was preparing to launch an airstrike against Iran and warned them against it in June, sources say.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Wednesday that senior military sources say Bush administration officials became alarmed in May that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak were planning an imminent strike on Iran's uranium enrichment sites. Because of that, their request for certain equipment was turned down, the newspaper said.

Sources told Haaretz that Bush administration officials let the Israelis know they would be alone if they attacked Iran and that such a move would undermine U.S. interests. They also allegedly demanded that Israel give them prior notice if it nevertheless decided to strike Iran unilaterally, the newspaper said.

As compensation for denying the equipment request, Washington offered to improve Israel's defenses against surface-to-surface missiles, Haaretz said. Israeli leaders, it said, have determined U.S. President George Bush has abandoned any plans to strike Iran before he leaves office because it would be largely ineffective.