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The top US military official reiterated Washington's opposition to a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran yesterday, saying that it would "clearly delay but probably not destroy Iran's nuclear program."

The comments by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey are only latest of months of such comments from top US officials, intended to tamp down heated rhetoric from Israeli officials about staging a unilateral strike on Iran. Gen. Dempsey himself has made similar statements in the past, although yesterday's were the firmest yet.

His comments came the same day that the International Atomic Energy Agency released its latest report on Iran's nuclear program, which stated that Iran has doubled its number of centrifuges and accelerated its nuclear fuel production – a clear sign that despite international pressure, it is moving forward with its nuclear development (although not a definitive sign that Iran has military intentions).

Speaking in London, Dempsey said that he did not know what Iran's intentions were – because intelligence does not provide such information – but that he did know that the international pressure on Iran was having an impact and an Israeli strike would cancel that progress, the Guardian reports.

"I don't want to be complicit if they [Israel] choose to do it," he added.

The New York Times reports that the US has reminded Israeli officials repeatedly that, on its own, Israel lacks the military capability to destroy the key nuclear site at Fordow, which is underground and heavily reinforced. The US has the capability, but wants to give "diplomacy, sanctions, and sabotage" more time.

But yesterday's IAEA report "validated" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stance that diplomacy and sanctions have failed to slow Iran's nuclear wok, and may even be forcing it to speed up, according to the Times.

Singling out the US, Israeli Vice Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon said today that comments from world powers have led Iran to believe that it does not face a true risk of a military strike, Reuters reports.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters yesterday when asked about the IAEA report that the US has been firm that Iran has a limited amount of time to halt further nuclear work, Haaretz reports.

"The president has made clear frequently that he is determined to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon," Mr. Carney said. "So long as the Iranian regime refuses to comply with its international obligations, the United States, with its allies, will continue to take actions to further isolate and penalize Iran and the regime."

Dov Zakheim, a former defense department official in the Bush administration, writes in Foreign Policy that the Obama administration's only goal regarding Iran right now is "delaying anything from happening in the Middle East before Election Day."