Rick Santorum said today that would be in favor of launching airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.

"We will degrade those facilities through airstrikes, and make it very public that we are doing that," Santorum said on "Meet the Press."

Iran announced today that it had created the country's first nuclear fuel rod, a key component in a reactor that can also be used to produce weapons grade uranium.

Several of the GOP candidates have expressed increased concerns over Iran's nuclear program after the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report that says Iran is making progress.

The Obama administration hasn't responded to Iran's latest claim but it has already levied coordinated economic sanction against Iran.

Newt Gingrich is only other candidate in the race who has said he is would support bombing Iran, although he said he would only do it as a last resort and as part of a plan to replace the leadership in Iran.

Mitt Romney takes a less severe approach, calling for "crippling sanctions" against Iran.

Ron Paul, while he has said he is concerned about the Iranian nuclear threat, said he doesn't believe that the IAEA report is conclusive.

This isn't the first time that Santorum has used aggressive language to articulate his Iran policy.

"On occasion, scientists working on the nuclear program in Iran turn up dead. I think that's a wonderful thing, candidly," Santorum said at a campaign event in October.

Among the possible methods for dealing with the Iranian nuclear threat listed on Santorum's campaign  website is treating nuclear scientists working for the Iranians like enemy combatants.