A major U.S.-led naval minesweeping exercise got underway in the Gulf Sunday as tension remain high over Iran and its controversial nuclear program.

The exercise kicked off on the same day the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned of retaliation against the Strait of Hormuz, Israel and nearby U.S. bases if his country is attacked, and as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted on a "red line" from Washington, claiming Tehran is "90 percent" toward having a nuclear bomb.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a fresh push to turn the screws on Iran's nuclear program, saying the Islamic Republic's leaders are guided by "unbelievable fanaticism."

Netanyahu's comments, part of an interview to be aired on NBC television's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, came after the hawkish leader of the Jewish state made repeated demands that U.S. President Barack Obama set unambiguous "red lines" on the program.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied accusations he is interfering in the U.S. presidential vote by pushing President Barack Obama to take a tougher stand on Iran's nuclear program.

In newspaper interviews published on Friday ahead of the Jewish new year, Netanyahu dismissed accusations that he is trying to paint Obama as weak on Iran in order to boost support for Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

Israel's ties with the United States remain strong despite differences with Washington over how to deal with Iran's nuclear program, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Thursday.

Israel and Washington have publicly disagreed on the way forward in dealing with Iran's nuclear program, which much of the international community believes masks a weapons drive, despite Tehran's denials.

A U.S. hostage held by al-Qaida made a "one Jew to another" appeal for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to help secure his release, SITE Intelligence Group reported on Wednesday.

Warren Weinstein, a relief worker with USAID who was captured in Lahore, Pakistan, in August 2011, appeared in a video on Islamist websites, the U.S.-based monitoring group said.

Israel's opposition leader on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "meddling" in the U.S. presidential election and harming Israel's ties with Washington in a dispute over Iran's nuclear program.

The remarks by opposition leader Shaul Mofaz came as Netanyahu and the White House locked horns over how to handle Iran's nuclear program, with Israel threatening unilateral military action against Tehran, despite American objections.

The head of Britain's foreign intelligence agency MI6 has visited Israel to warn Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against military action on Iran, a report said Wednesday.

John Sawers went to Israel around two weeks ago with a message from Prime Minister David Cameron urging Netanyahu to allow more time to find a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear program, the Daily Mail newspaper said.

President Barack Obama called Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday after he provoked a sudden crisis in relations by warning Washington had no moral right to stop Israel attacking Iran's nuclear program.

In an unusual move, Obama called the Prime Minister in the early hours Israel time, after a day of fast-rising tensions, exacerbated when Israeli officials said Obama had snubbed Netanyahu's request for talks on U.S. soil.

President Barack Obama will not receive Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to the United States later this month, an Israeli official told Agence France Presse on Tuesday.

Netanyahu, who will be attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, had asked for a meeting with Obama, proposing to travel to Washington for it, the official said

The international community cannot ask Israel to keep waiting before acting against Iran if it has not laid down red lines to Tehran over its nuclear program, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday.

"The world tells Israel: Wait, there's still time. And I say: wait for what? Wait until when?," Netanyahu said.