An Israeli strike against Iran would indirectly result in the deaths of hundreds of Americans, the New York Times quoted US officials as saying Monday.

According to the report, the US military held a war simulation exercise earlier this month to assess the the American capabilities to respond to an Israeli attack on Iran. The exercise determined that such a strike would lead to a wider regional conflict, which could draw US involvement.

Speaking on condition of anonymity due to the classified nature of the exercise, officials said that the the drill was not designed as a rehearsal for US military action, but rather to measure US military preparedness to threats.

The two-week war game, called "Internal Look," involved a hypothetical IDF strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. The US military was drawn into the conflict after Iranian missiles struck a US warship in the Persian Gulf, killing 200 navy personnel. The US retaliated by hitting Iranian nuclear facilities.

In the drill, the Iranian nuclear program was set back a total of three years- one by the initial Israeli strike and two by the US military. (© 1995-2011, The Jerusalem Post 03/20/12)