Iran has threatened to blow up Israel’s nuclear facility in the city of Dimona in the Negev desert if Israel attacks Iranian nuclear facilities. This follows recent warnings that any attack by Israel would be met with a similar response, including attacks on Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa.
On Friday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) posted a video on Twitter showing multiple ballistic missiles being fired and exploding. The IRGC warned that the footage was meant as a warning to Israel to refrain from attacking Iran. “Then on the day, we [God] will deal you the fiercest blow. We will surely inflict punishment,” the IRGC tweeted in Arabic citing a quote from the Quran and tagging Dimona in the tweet.
Iran fired several cruise missiles and 16 ballistic missiles on Friday as part of a five-day military exercise, known as ‘Great Prophet 17,’ and said that it was a show of Iran’s force and a response to Israeli threats. “These exercises were designed to respond to threats made in recent days by the Zionist regime,” army chief Mohammad Bagheri said. “In this exercise, part of the hundreds of Iranian missiles capable of destroying a country that dared to attack Iran were deployed,” he added.
Iranian state news agency Tasnim said that during the exercises the IRGC practised mock attacks on Israel’s Dimona nuclear facility. The agency also reported that “kamikaze” drones were tested during the drills and wrote that IRGC chief Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami had said that the drones are a “new pillar” of the IRGC’s military prowess.
The exercises were conducted by the IRGC earlier this week amid threats made by Israel to strike Iranian nuclear facilities if Tehran continues to advance its nuclear programme. Israel has reportedly allocated $1.5 billion to bolster its capabilities to attack the nuclear sites.
Furthermore, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said last month that Israel is ready to escalate its conflict with Iran and noted that Israel will not be bound by any nuclear deal between world powers and Tehran. Israel also conducted air exercises with the United States (US), the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain in November that simulated strikes on Iran.
Israel remains opposed to any nuclear deal with Iran, as it views Tehran’s nuclear programme as an “existential threat,” especially since Iranian leaders have called for the annihilation of the Jewish State.
Iran has warned Israel that any attack will be met with harsh retaliation, including attacks on major Israeli cities. Earlier this month, the IRGC vowed to destroy Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem. In fact, the IRGC has in the past threatened to “raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground” if it is attacked. Furthermore, Iranian newspaper Tehran Times published a map of multiple Israeli cities that would be targeted with missiles if Iranian nuclear sites are attacked.
Iran’s threats came as world powers and Tehran concluded the seventh round of nuclear talks in Vienna last week. Iran and the P5+1 (the US, the United Kingdom, China, Russia, France and Germany) are set to start the eighth round of talks on Monday.