That doesn't make any sense. All nukes are strategic. There's no such thing as a tactical nuke.
It is simply not true. Say, in the USA gravity B-61 nuclear bombs are "tactical". Russia has even bigger variety of tactical nukes, including artillery shells, deep charges, torpedoes and so on ... May be, in the tiny Israel and small sandbox of Middle East this difference is vague, but it exists. There is difference between gravity bombs and IRBMs with 4,000 km range.
And Israel fires them off before the French missiles even hit.
Not necessarily. It's a game for two. Someone shoot first, and other is dead. In our scenario (while it's not about military capabilities) France was successful in the destruction of short range weapons, but not successful in the destruction of long range weapons.
The president and entire government of France is dead, including all of their infrastructure. They've got some submarines but no one knows who is in charge.
C'mon... De-capitating strikes are much more Antient than nuclear weapons. And everybody has some kind of insurance against it. Like pre-war plans and taking responsibilities. And when 30% of your country is dead (including some of your friends and relatives) you do know what to do. Survived Admiral gives his order - "Strategic Submarines to keep deterring the USA. Attacking Submarines cover them. If anybody attacks you - launch missiles at already planned targets (US cities). The Carrier, leftovers of surface fleet, and land based Rafaels, in coordination with our Arab allies - continue wiping out the Jews. For the Revolution!"
"France"? If I want to talk to France, who do I call? Spolier alert. They're all dead.
Forty million or them (including most of military) still alive and kicking.
The way you talk about Jews is rather offputting. Would it change anything if it were France nuking the Saudis?
Feel free to explain your position about hypothetical French-Saudi nuclear war (starting with assumption that Saudies acquired nuclear weapons), which side will you pick.
We're not going to preemptively nuke anyone.
There is no difference. You attack French SSBNs - they launch missiles in the USA, because you put them in "use it or lose it" situation. Anyway, openly siding with the people who just killed every third of them - will definitely make you their enemy.
But taking out a submarine by non-nuclear means is still on the table. Would I do that? I'm not going to tell you. Meaning I'm not going to tell France. Better to keep them guessing and maybe hesitant.
They are not hesitating. Actually, they already killed three millions of Jews and going to kill more. They do need refuel planes, mount more cruise missiles, gather some intelligence, coordinate actions with Arabs and some other techical issues.
If you want to save rest of the population of Israel - you should act, and you should act right now.
And the only way you can attack France and minimise US losses - is to attack their nuclear submarines.
Nah. Israel saw the missiles coming and launched their own. Israel lives in a dangerous neighborhood and has plans for every kind of threat. I think France will hesitate to nuke Israel if they think Israel will nuke them back. Even Muslims value their own lives.
You thought it before the war. But now you have to deal with reality (in our game). And in this reality France and Israel already have exchanged with nuclear strikes, and both lost up to 30% of populations.