Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Iran a “ticking time bomb”, warning the international community not to ignore the threat of a nuclear-armed Tehran, or Iran’s efforts to entrench itself in Syria.

Speaking at an air force graduation ceremony Wednesday afternoon, Herzog alluded to Israel’s ongoing campaign targeting Iran and Iranian-backed militias in Syria, with hundreds of air strikes attributed to Israel over the past few years.

“The many operations and attacks, which it is better to remain silent about, have proved the ability of our Air Force to reach anywhere under any circumstances, either in wartime or during an operation, sometimes more than once, in the ongoing and important war dubbed the ‘the war between the wars’, which the Air Force has successfully led.”

“This ability [to strike anywhere] is more important now than ever, at a time when the Iranian octopus continues to reach its arms all across the Middle East.”

The president went on to describe as a “ticking time bomb” for the Middle East, and urged the international community to take action.

“Iran is a ticking time bomb which threatens Israel and the whole Middle East. This issue is agreed upon unanimously in Israel and its leadership. I’m following the nuclear negotiations, and I call upon the international community not to make a decision blindly and not to ignore the serious threat. The danger of a nuclear Iran must be neutralized once and for all, with an agreement or without it. We must not allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon.”