Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned of attack on Israel’s nuclear sites and may pursue a nuclear weapon if the country strikes at Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The development came on Thursday, after Israeli officials promised a response to Iran’s unprecedented attacks on the country last week, which were a retaliation for the Israeli military’s suspected targeting of Tehran’s consulate in Syria.

“The nuclear facilities of the Zionist enemy have been identified and all the necessary information from all targets is at our disposal,” the IRGC’s Brigadier General Ahmad Haghtalab was quoted as saying by Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news website.

“Our fingers are on the trigger of firing strong missiles to destroy the designated targets in response to a potential attack by them,” said the commander of the IRGC division that is tasked with protecting Iranian nuclear facilities.

Haghtalab also gave the most direct warning yet that it may abandon its stated policy of refraining from building a nuclear bomb.

“If the fake Zionist regime wants to use the threat of attacking the nuclear centres of our country as a tool, reconsidering the doctrine and policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and deviating from previously stated considerations would be likely and imaginable,” he said.

Earlier, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi has warned that Iran's attack on his country will be 'met with a response'.

He made the remarks while visiting Nevatim Airbase in Israel where four Iranian ballistic missiles hit on Saturday (April 13, 2024).

“Iran wanted to harm the strategic capabilities of the State of Israel — that is something that had not happened before. We were prepared for the ‘Iron Shield’ operation — preparation that brought Iran to also encounter aerial superiority,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of Israel.

“We are looking ahead, we are considering our steps, and this launch of so many missiles, cruise missiles, and UAVs into the territory of the State of Israel will be met with a response,” he added.