Israel nixes Iran attack reports

Ehud Olmert denied reports that Israel and the United States are planning a joint attack on Iran. After Tehran-based and other foreign media reported over the weekend that Jerusalem and Washington were talking about an imminent attack on Iranian nuclear sites, during which Israel also would strike against Syria and Hezbollah, the Israeli prime minister issued a denial.”Declarations that there is an American plan to strike Iran that is being coordinated with Israel, which would at the same time attack Syria and Lebanon, is not familiar to me and is a baseless rumor,” Olmert told reporters in Jerusalem late Sunday. “I hope no one takes action based on baseless rumors.”The media reports appeared to have been prompted by recent statements attributed to the chief of Israeli military intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin, in which he said Iran, Syria and Hezbollah are preparing for a possible confrontation with Israel later this year.