'If we must return, we will do so': Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issues new Iran warning
Israel and Iran are currently upholding a ceasefire agreed in the wake of United States strikes against Tehran's nuclear facilities last month.
Prior to the Trump administration's intervention, both nations had exchanged missile and rocket fire for 12 days following what Israel called "preemptive" attacks to prevent Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
While the ceasefire appears to be holding, Mr Katz on Thursday, local time, warned Israel remained prepared to resume hostilities in order to defend itself from harm.
"Israel's long arm will reach you in Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, and anywhere you try to threaten or harm Israel. There is no place to hide", he told an air force graduation ceremony, according to a statement from his office.
"If we must return, we will do so with greater force."
It was not immediately clear what Mr Katz defined as a threat to Israel, although it is likely any resumption of Tehran's nuclear program would likely be deemed worth of a response.
While US officials have been insistent Iran's nuclear facilities were "obliterated" by its attacks, little evidence has been made public to back up the claim.
Many analysts have acknowledged that while the strikes were successful, assessments of the damage could take months and would require intelligence from agents or assets inside the facilities.
As a result estimates over how far back Tehran's uranium enrichment program and other nuclear goals have been set back continues to be a subject of debate.
US officials claim Iran's nuclear ambitions have been set back years, possibly decades, while others, including the International Atomic Energy Agency, have suggested a timeline of months.
The United Nation's nuclear watchdog has also expressed ongoing concern about the location of almost half a tonne of highly enriched uranium, which remains unaccounted for following the conflict.
US officials, including President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, have insisted the material was destroyed in the attacks on Iran's Fordow site.
Secretary Hegseth has also claimed there is no evidence Iran moved the material out of the facility before the strikes occurred.
However, the IAEA maintains there is still a chance some of the material was either moved or has been recovered from the site, with the watchdog urging Iran to allow inspectors into the facility.
Tehran, though, has refused to heed those calls, with the nation's regime also moving to suspend all cooperation with the nuclear watchdog going forward.
That move has sparked fears Iran could be seeking to restart its nuclear program immediately, potentially with the intent of quickly producing an atomic bomb as a form of deterrence.
With Reuters.
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