Iran issues threat

Iran's most powerful military force threatened on Sunday to target any country which is used to launch an attack against it.

"Any place where enemy offensive operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran originate will be the target of a reciprocal attack by the Guard's fighting units," Hossein Salami, deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards, was quoted as saying during military exercises in southern Iran.

Although Salami did not refer to a specific country, his comments appeared to be a warning to Iran's neighbors not to allow their territory or airspace to be used as a base for an attack. US troops are stationed in several Gulf countries.

Iran's latest warning came amid reports that Israel, Iran's arch-enemy, is contemplating preemptively bombing Iran's nuclear facilities over fears that Iran is producing nuclear weapons.

Addressing his cabinet on Sunday, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the situation in Iran and the continued bloodshed in Syria underscored the need for Israel to continue to strengthen its military might.

"In the past few days we received a reminder of what kind of neighborhood we live in," the premier said. "In such a region the only thing ensuring [our] existence, security and prosperity is strength."

"We shall continue to build the military, economic and social strength of Israel; that is the only guarantee for peace and also Israel's only defense if peace collapses," he added.

ccp/mh (AFP, AP, dpa)