On CNN last night, Ahmadinejad backed off slightly from his threat to "wipe Israel off the map" (which, BTW, he didn't deny saying):

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/24/world/meast/iran-ahmadinejad-interview/index.html

Now what he's saying is that only the Israeli occupations and other alleged Israeli practices should be "wiped out." He went further to suggest that Israeli recognition of a Palestinian state would solve the problem.

Just words. The nuclear program forges ahead. However, the words suggest a more conciliatory attitude and might herald a shift in Iranian policy. Or maybe not. The point is they're something new, whatever they might finally mean.

It's worth remembering too that Ahmadinejad is not the ultimate arbiter of Iranian policy. That would be the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, who more than once has described Israel in Hitleresque terms as a "cancer" and a "tumor that must be excised." He seems not to have suggested explicitly that Iran should do the excising.

No combatant would have much to gain from an Iranian-Israeli war. Air strikes would set back the nuclear program, but they wouldn't end it, and the Iranians might well retaliate with an all-out terror campaign against both Israel and the U.S. Which would likely result in more military action against Iran to no long-range constructive purpose.

The only wild card that could lead to an Israeli attack is the combination of Iranian rhetoric, Iran's enthusiastic sponsorship of anti-Israeli terrorism, and its blockage of the UN nuclear inspectors (like Saddam Hussein in one of the stupidest mistakes of the century).

Actions will speak louder than words.