Iran hints it will build a NUKE if Netanyahu carries out a strike on its atomic ... trends now

Iran has hinted it could build a nuclear weapon if Benjamin Netanyahu strikes Tehran's atomic sites - and target Israel's own nuclear facilities in response.

A senior Revolutionary Guards general said Iran could review its 'nuclear doctrine' in the event of an Israeli strike on Tehran's atomic facilities.

The comments represent the first time Iran has explicitly mentioned its suspected nuclear weapons programme since Tehran's unprecedented weekend attack that saw Iran launch more than 300 missiles at Israel.

They also appear to be anticipating retaliation for the attack.

Israel's military chief has vowed a response to the Iranian aerial salvo, which was mostly intercepted, while world leaders have urged de-escalation.

Tehran's first direct attack on Israel, launched late Saturday, was in retaliation for an April 1 air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two generals.

Israeli officials have not said when or where the country would retaliate.

However, Ahmad Haghtalab, the Guards' head of nuclear protection and security, said Iran would 'definitely' reciprocate any attack on nuclear sites.

'If the Zionist regime (Israel) wants to take action against our nuclear centres and facilities, it will definitely and surely face our reaction,' the official news agency IRNA quoted Haghtalab as saying.

'For the counterattack, the nuclear facilities of the (Israeli) regime will be targeted and operated upon with advanced weaponry.'

He added: 'a review of our nuclear doctrine and politics as well as considerations previously communicated is entirely possible.'

His warning came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel reserves 'the right to protect itself' following the Iranian attack.

British Foreign Minister Lord David Cameron on Wednesday said that 'it is clear the Israelis are making a decision to act' after the Iranian attack.

He expressed the British government 's 'hope' that 'Israel acts in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible.'

Today, Haghtalab said 'the threat' of an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities could lead Tehran 'to revise and deviate from the declared nuclear policies and considerations', without elaborating.

The Islamic republic, which has always insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful and denies seeking an atomic bomb, has accused arch foe Israel of sabotage attacks on its facilities and assassinations of nuclear scientists in recent years.

According to Haghtalab, Iran has 'identified' Israeli nuclear centres and holds 'necessary information of all targets'.

Israel is widely known to have nuclear weapons but has never admitted so.

'Hands are on the trigger to fire powerful missiles for the total destruction of determined targets,' the Iranian general said.

On Monday, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, said Iran had closed its nuclear facilities 'for security reasons' on the day of its attack.

Amirali Hajizadeh, commander of the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace unit that led the attack on Israel, said on Thursday that Iran had only used 'old weapons and minimal power' for it.

'At this stage, we have not used' ballistic missiles, he said, arguing Iran has 'overcome the maximum capacity' of Israel and its allies 'with minimal power'.