Iranian war games held in the Persian Gulf this week were meant as a warning to Israel, Iran's top military commanders say, amid concerns Israeli could have plans to target Iranian nuclear sites.
This photo from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps website shows the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps taking part in five-days military exercises this week. Photo: AFP Photo / Iran Revolutionary Guard via SEPAH News
The Revolutionary Guards' war games included firing ballistic and cruise missiles, and ended on Friday.
"These exercises had a very clear message: A serious, real ... warning to threats by the Zionist regime's authorities to beware of their mistakes," Guards chief General Hossein Salami said on state TV.
"We will cut off their hands if they make a wrong move... The distance between actual operations and military exercises is only a change in the angles of launching the missiles," Salami added.
Armed Forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri said 16 ballistic missiles of different classes had been fired simultaneously and had destroyed predetermined targets.
Britain condemned the launch of ballistic missiles during the war games.
"These actions are a threat to regional and international security, and we call on Iran to immediately cease its activities," the Foreign Office said in a statement.
Iran says its ballistic missiles have a range of 2000km and are capable of reaching arch-foe Israel and US bases in the region.
Israel, which opposes efforts by world powers to revive Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal, has long threatened military action if diplomacy fails. Iran says its nuclear ambitions are peaceful.
Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz called on world powers not to allow Iran to play for time at the nuclear negotiations, in recess at Iran's request and scheduled to resume next Monday.
Israel is widely believed to be the only Middle Eastern country with a nuclear arsenal.
- Reuters