A senior Iranian military official warned at the weekend that the Islamic Republic is ready to attack Israel at any moment.

Should Israel continue to interfere with Iran's efforts to establish a firm military foothold in Syria, the Jewish state will face overwhelming retaliation, according to Brigadier General Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guards.

Iran's Mehr news agency quoted Salami as telling gathering in Tehran:

"Our fingers are on the trigger and the missiles are ready to launch, at any moment that the enemy wants to start something against us, we will launch. We have learned methods of overcoming our enemies. We can target our enemies' vital interests wherever we want."

The general was referring to the recent bombing of an Iranian-controlled air base in central Syria. While Israel maintained its policy of ambiguity, Russia and the United States both revealed that Jerusalem was behind the devastating strike.

Israel has repeatedly stated that it is unacceptable for Iran to have a permanent military presence so close to its own borders, a thinly-veiled threat that any attempt to establish bases in Syria will be similarly met with strong military force.

No one expects Iran to actually stop building up its military presence in Syria, so the question becomes, at what point does Tehran make good on its own threats to retaliate?

PHOTO: Israel's air defenses are on high alert for Iran and its allies to make good on their threats. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)