rocket propulsion system from the Palmachim military base . This had been planned by the Defense Establishment a long time ago and was carried out as scheduled . '' `` This is an impressive technological achievement and an important step in Israel 's advances in the realms of missiles and space , '' said Defense Minister Ehud Barak . The comments from Iran and the Israeli missile test come as a very public debate is taking place in Israel about the possibility of a military strike on the Islamic republic . Last week , Israel 's largest newspaper , Yedioth Ahronoth , published a report that suggested Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Barak both supported a strike against Iran 's nuclear program . That story was followed up Wednesday by a report in the Israeli daily Haaretz that Netanyahu was lobbying members of his cabinet to support a military strike against Iran despite the various difficulties inherent in such an operation . The paper attributed the information to a senior Israeli official , but did not disclose identity of their source . Israeli and U.S. officials have expressed concerns that Iran is building nuclear weapons , despite Tehran 's insistence
Tehran , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iran issued a warning to Israel on Wednesday , with a top military figure saying Iran will `` punish '' any threat . `` The United States is fully aware that a military attack by the Zionist regime on Iran will not only cause tremendous damage to that regime , but it will also inflict serious damage to the U.S. , '' said Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi , commander of the joint chiefs of staff , according to the semi-official Fars News Agency . `` We , as the military , take every threat , however distant and improbable , as very real , and are fully prepared to use suitable equipment to punish any kind of mistake , '' he added , according to a CNN translation of his remarks . Another semi-official Iranian news agency , ISNA , published a story in English quoting Firouzabadi as saying , `` The U.S. officials know that Zionist regime 's military attack against Iran will inflict heavy damages to the U.S. seriously as well as Zionist regime . '' The Israeli Ministry of Defense said Wednesday that Israel `` carried out the test-firing of a