Arabian Gulf security is again in the spotlight with Iran's nuclear programme is being discussed by senior diplomats from the US, the UK, Russia, China, Germany and France meeting in Washington this week.
The US has said there is a "very strong case" for a third round of sanctions after the UN's nuclear watchdog said on Friday it could offer no "credible assurances" that Iran was not building a nuclear bomb.
In 2005 the UK newspaper Times Online reported that Israel had drawn up secret plans for a combined air and ground attack on targets in Iran if diplomacy fails to halt the Iranian nuclear programme. Such an event would be sure to split public opinion in the Arab world and prompt a swift response from Hizbullah.
