Top Iranian general hints at Tehran's involvement in strike targeting secret Israeli nuclear site

The chief of staff of Iran's armed forces has hinted at Tehran's possible involvement in a missile strike which targeted a secret Israeli nuclear site.

General Mohammed Hussein Bagheri described such "operations" as a response to Israeli aggression in the region, aimed at bringing Tel Aviv's leaders "back to their senses".

General Bagheri spoke to reporters at the sidelines of an event to commemorate the recent death of high-ranking general Mohammed Hejazi, who served deputy leader of the elite Quds force of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

In comments reported by state media, he condemned Israeli raids in Syria, which mostly target Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah forces as well as government troops, and suspected Israeli strikes on vessels carrying Iranian oil bound for Syria.

"The Zionists think they can constantly target Syria, commit evil acts in different regions and the sea, and receive no response," Baqeri said.

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"The operations which have taken place in the past few days and future operations which threaten their [Israel's] interests will bring them back to their senses. The future of the resistance is bright," he added.

While he refused to elaborate on which operations he was referring, it is speculated that the general may have been referring to a missile strike targeting the secretive Dimona nuclear reactor in southern Israel.

A missile was fired from Syria on Thursday towards the Negev Desert where the Dimona reactor is located, triggering air raid sirens sounded in the nearby village of Abu Qrenat. There were no reports of Israelis injured or any physical damage.

Israel's army responded by launching strikes against SAM missile batteries near Damascus, which killed a Syrian officer and wounded three soliders.

Iranian media have reported that the rocket which landed near the Dimona nuclear site was an Iranian-made Fateh missile, described as "an accurate missile" which "could
have hit the target".

Israel has never publicly commented on its atomic arsenal, but experts believe the Jewish state has between 100 to 300 nuclear warheads.

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