Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered the Israeli military in 2010 to prepare for an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, according to an Israeli television station.

Netanyahu gave the order during a meeting with what is known as the cabinet of seven, or the security cabinet, Israeli journalist Ilana Dayan reported on a program that aired Nov. 5 on Channel 2.

Gabi Ashkenazi and Meir Dagan, the Israel Defense Forces’ chief of staff and Mossad head, respectively, told Dayan at the time that the order to go to a level “P Plus” — code for preparing for a military strike — was an attempt to circumvent having to obtain full Cabinet approval.

Since their retirements, Dagan and Ashkenazi both have publicly stated their opposition to an Israeli strike on Iran. — jta