Analysis - Israeli rhetoric not seen leading to Iran war - yet

(Reuters) - For all its recent tough talk, Israel looks highly unlikely to launch an attack against Iran ahead of U.S. presidential elections in November, hoping that Washington will ultimately do the heavy lifting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a blunt, public message to U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on Wednesday that time was running out to tackle Iran and that U.S. policies to curtail its nuclear programme had so far failed.

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An array of analysts in Israel see an Israeli strike in coming months as unlikely, pointing to the huge difficulties posed by military action coupled with the political intricacies of defying Washington in the run-up to the U.S. vote.

An Israeli official told Reuters Netanyahu's inner council, comprising the coalition's eight top ministers, had not discussed Iran in detail since last year, suggesting there was nothing imminent in the works.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/08/02/uk-israel-iran-talk-idUKBRE8710ZJ20120802