Editing No first use (section)

==Israel==
Although Israel [[policy of deliberate ambiguity|does not officially confirm or deny]] having nuclear weapons, [[Nuclear weapons and Israel|the country is widely believed to be in possession of them]]. Its continued ambiguous stance puts it in a difficult position since to issue a statement pledging 'no first use' would confirm their possession of nuclear weapons.

Israel has said that it "would not be the first country in the [[Middle East]] to formally introduce nuclear weapons into the region".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cfr.org/publication/9822/israels_nuclear_program_and_middle_east_peace.html |publisher=Lionel Beehner |date=February 10, 2006 |access-date=2007-11-03 |title=Israel's Nuclear Program and Middle East Peace |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209064933/http://www.cfr.org/publication/9822/israels_nuclear_program_and_middle_east_peace.html |archive-date=February 9, 2008 }}</ref>

If Israel's very existence is threatened, some speculate that Israel would use a "[[Samson Option]]", a "last resort" deterrence strategy of [[massive retaliation]] with nuclear weapons, should the State of Israel be substantially damaged and/or near destruction.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hersh|first=Seymour M.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/24609770|title=The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy|date=1991|publisher=Random House|isbn=0-394-57006-5|edition=1st|location=New York|pages=42, 136–137, 288–289|oclc=24609770}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Cohen|first=Avner|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/42330721|title=Israel and the bomb|date=1998|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=0-585-04150-4|location=New York|pages=2, 7, 341|oclc=42330721}}</ref><ref>Avner Cohen, "Israel's Nuclear Opacity: a Political Genealogy", ''The Dynamics of Middle East Nuclear Proliferation'', pp. 187–212, edited by Steven L. Spiegel, Jennifer D. Kibbe and Elizabeth G. Matthews. Symposium Series, Volume 66, The Edwin Mellen Press, 2001.</ref> According to Israeli historian [[Avner Cohen]], Israel's policy on nuclear weapons, which was set down in 1966, revolves around four "red lines" which could lead to an Israeli nuclear response:

* A successful military penetration into populated areas within Israel's borders.
* The destruction of the [[Israeli Air Force]].
* Israeli cities being subjected to massive and devastating [[Aerial bombing of cities|aerial bombardment]], [[Chemical warfare|chemical attacks]], or [[Biological warfare|biological attacks]].
* The use of nuclear weapons against Israel.<ref name=":0" />