Iranian army able to destroy Israel ‘alone’, says commander

Iran’s army “alone” is able to destroy Israel, army commander General Ataollah Salehi said on Thursday, responding to boasts by the Jewish state that its military that could attack its archfoe on its own.

“Our message to this illegitimate regime [Israel] is the same, we do not need to utilise all of Iran’s military forces,” Salehi said on the sidelines of the Islamic republic’s annual Army Day. “The army ... alone is able to destroy Israel.”

His comments come after Israeli chief of staff Lieutenant General Benny Gantz on Tuesday said the Jewish state’s military was capable of attacking Iran on its own without foreign support.

Asked in an interview on public radio if the military could wage attacks on Iran “alone” – without the support of countries such as the United States – Gantz replied: “Yes, absolutely.”

Israel believes the Islamic republic, which has issued many bellicose statements about the Jewish state, is working to achieve a military nuclear capability and has not ruled out a military strike to prevent this happening.

Iran denies it is developing an atomic bomb and says it needs its nuclear programme of uranium enrichment for peaceful medical and energy purposes.