Jerusalem, March 20 (RHC-Agencies) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon have ordered the military to continue preparations for a possible strike on Iran's nuclear facilities during 2014, Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, the Israel Defense Forces allocated up to NIS 12 billion (3.5 billion U.S. dollars), nearly a fifth of its budget this year, for preparations for a possible unilateral strike on Iran, approximately the same amount invested last year.

The figure was presented by top officers who briefed Israeli lawmakers on the military's plans to continue training for a possible independent strike, regardless of the diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iranian issue peacefully, according to the Ha'aretz report.