An Iranian air force commander has warned that the country is prepared to “eliminate Israel from Earth.” Tehran’s fighting words come just after Israel launched air raids on alleged Iranian targets inside Syria, killing 4 Syrian soldiers.

Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, the commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF), issued the provocative statement to the Young Journalist Club news agency, according to reports from the Iranian media.  Should Iran attempt to eliminate Israel from Earth, however, a third world war would be the most likely result. According to RT, the commander said: “the young people in the air force are fully ready and impatient to confront the Zionist regime and eliminate it from the Earth! Our future generations are learning required know-how for the promised day to destroy Israel!”

Nazirzaheh implied that Iran’s high level of military preparedness has deterred the country’s enemies from attacking the Islamic Republic. But they aren’t above verbal aggression. Israel has defended its actions against Syria. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the air raid against Syria as retribution against those who wish to destroy Israel. “We are operating both against Iran and against the Syrian forces that are abetting the Iranian aggression,” Netanyahu said in a speech. “We will strike at anyone who tried to harm us. Whoever threatens to eliminate us, bears full responsibility.”

Israel is believed to have fired dozens of missiles and guided bombs at targets inside Syria over the last 48 hours, purportedly targeting Iranian forces stationed in the country.

The strikes have killed four Syrian soldiers and left six others injured, the Russian Defense Ministry has said, as well as causing damage to Damascus International Airport. The ministry claims that Syrian forces have intercepted 30 Israeli missiles over the past 48 hours. –RT

War rhetoric and aggressions between Iran and Israel are nothing new, but heightened attacks and military assaults could propel one or the other to snap causing irreversible damage and ignite a third world war. Tensions are high, but they could still be higher.  The real question is how much time does the world have?