SpaceWar.com reports: “Iran said Monday it ‘will not hesitate’ to respond in the event of US attacks on its territory after the White House declined to say whether strikes on Iran were ruled out.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Sunday the US will press on with its retaliation against Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria.

Asked whether the United States would rule out the possibility of striking Iran directly, Sullivan told NBC, ‘it would not be wise for me to talk about what we’re ruling in and ruling out.’

‘If (Iran) chose to respond directly to the United States, they would be met with a swift and forceful response from us,’ he said.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani hit back on Monday, saying: ‘The Islamic Republic has shown that it has always reacted decisively to any threat to its security, territorial integrity and sovereignty.’

Iran ‘will not hesitate to use its capabilities’ to respond to any attacks on its soil, said Kanani during his weekly press briefing…”