According to Haaretz, Israel's defense minister, Naftali Bennett, warned Iran against its continued presence in Syria, and said Israel will work tirelessly to prevent the establishment of a stable Iranian military presence in the war-torn country.

Bennett said on Sunday: “It is no secret that Iran is trying to establish a ring of fire around our country, it is already based in Lebanon and is trying to establish in Syria, Gaza and more.” He added: “We need to move from containment to attack."

Bennett continued: “We say to Iran: Syria will become your Vietnam."

His comments come a day after Israel's foreign minister, Yisrael Katz, was quoted saying the Israeli government was considering military action against Iran, should it pursue nuclear military capability.

"Is bombing Iran an option that Israel is considering?" Katz was asked by Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper.

"Yes, it is an option. We will not allow Iran to produce or obtain nuclear weapons. If it were the last possible way to stop this, we would act militarily," Katz replied.

Katz also criticized European countries for not supporting the hard-line the United States has adopted under President Donald Trump, withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal.

"As long as the Iranians delude themselves into thinking they have Europe's backing, it will be more difficult for them to back down," Katz said.