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Israel purchases two nuclear submarines from Germany2006-08-23 With Iran rebuffing efforts to curb its nuclear program, Israel signed a contract with Germany last month to buy two more submarines capable of firing nuclear missiles, according to a report published on Wednesday.Israel's navy already has three Dolphin-class vessels, which have the capability of firing nuclear missiles The new submarines have a propulsion system that allow them to remain submerged far longer than the vessels currently in the Israeli navy's fleet, the English-language daily, The Jerusalem Post, reported. The submarines, which will cost Israel nearly $1.3 billion (euro1 billion), will be operational shortly, The Post said. Israel's Defense Ministry declined to comment on the newspaper report. Word of an impending deal to buy additional submarines first surfaced in November, when Germany's Der Spiegel and Focus magazines reported that the German Government had agreed to sell Israel two submarines at a discounted rate. Israel _ which has neither confirmed nor denied reports that it possesses nuclear arms itself _ has been expanding its military arsenal in light of Iran's nuclear ambitions. Israel identifies Iran as its greatest threat today. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's calls for Israel's destruction have exacerbated those concerns. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful, and has refused to heed calls by the U.S. and other world powers to stop enriching uranium, a material that can be used to make nuclear weapons. The standoff with Iran is playing out against the backdrop of the recent war in Lebanon, where Iranian-backed Hezbollah guerrillas held their own against Israel's military for more than a month. There has been speculation in the West that Iran encouraged Hezbollah to provoke the Israelis to distract attention from its nuclear ambitions. The war's outcome has also raised the risk that hard-liners in Tehran will be emboldened to seek a showdown with the U.S. while it is bogged down in Iraq. Sponsored Links
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