Israel ‘launched missiles at Iranian nuclear defences’

Alleged Israeli missile debris found in Iraq

Israeli fighter jets fired several missiles at an air defence installation protecting an Iranian nuclear facility during Friday morning’s attack, a senior US official said.

The salvo was launched from outside of Iranian territory and aimed at a radar site near the central city of Isfahan that is tasked with protecting the Natanz nuclear complex, according to the unnamed official cited by ABC News.

The official described it as an Israeli attempt to display its capability to strike Iran without escalating the situation.

An initial assessment of the strike stated that the air defence station had been destroyed, the official said, while adding that the report had yet to be finalised.

The Natanz complex is reported to be Iran’s primary uranium enrichment facility.

G7 leaders urged restraint from both Israel and Iran following the attack, with Rishi Sunak calling for “calm heads to prevail”.

Tehran meanwhile sought to play down the extent of the strike, with foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian saying it caused no damage or casualties in Isfahan. Iran has indicated it has no plans for retaliation. Israel has made no public comment on the incident.

10:29 PM BST

What happened today

We’re ending our live coverage of the crisis in the Middle East for tonight.

Here is what happened today:

• Israeli fighter jets fired missiles at Iran in a muted show of force early on Friday morning
• The attacks reportedly targeted the air defence systems of a key nuclear plant in the country
• The attack was aimed near the central city of Isfahan, home to an Iranian military base
• Tehran almost immediately played down the attack as “reckless fireworks”
• Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani told reporters at a G7 summit that the Jewish state had alerted Washington at the “last minute”
• Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, said Washington was “committed to de-escalating” and “to trying to bring this tension to a close”.

Read more

10:09 PM BST

Satellite imagery ‘shows damage to site targeted by Israel’

Satellite images have revealed damage to an Iranian radar site in Isfahan that was purportedly the target of an Israeli air strike on Friday, according to the Times of Israel.

Israeli fighter jets hit the installation, which is tasked with protecting the nearby Natanz nuclear complex in central Iran, with several missiles launched from outside Iran, according to an unnamed US official.

CNN earlier released satellite images that it said showed no apparent damage to the facility.

09:25 PM BST

Netanyahu reprimands security minister for calling Iran strike ‘lame’, Israeli media says

Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly dressed down Itamar Ben-Gvir, the hard-Right Israeli security minister, after Mr Ben-Gvir described Israel’s strike on Iran as ‘lame’.

According to Channel 12, an Israeli TV station, Netanyahu told the security minister that his actions had harmed national security.

After reports of Israel’s “limited strike” on Iran emerged early on Friday, Mr Ben-Gvir quickly dismissed his country’s operation with a single-word post on X that roughly translates to ‘lame’.

Mr Ben-Gvir had previously called on the Israeli military to “go berserk” on Iran.

08:35 PM BST

Macron meets Lebanese leaders to discuss ending Hezbollah-Israel clashes

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has discussed a French proposal to end border clashes between Hezbollah and Israel with the Lebanese prime minister and army chief.

In a statement, Najib Mikati, the Lebanese prime minister, thanked Mr Macron for his efforts “to stop the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and support the army with equipment and expertise to enable it to fully carry out its tasks”.

The French proposal envisions increased support for the Lebanese army and the withdrawal of Hezbollah fighters from six miles of the Lebanon-Israel border.

Iran-backed Hezbollah and the Israeli army have engaged in clashes across the Lebanese border since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7.

Hezbollah wields significant power in Lebanon, where it operates a political party and an armed wing strong enough to rival the Lebanese military.

08:15 PM BST

Israel ‘strikes Syrian army position’

An Israeli strike hit a Syrian army position in the south of the Arab republic on Friday, according to the Syrian government and the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

“The Israeli enemy carried out an attack using missiles… targeting our air defence sites in the southern region,” Syria’s defence ministry said in a statement.

The SOHR, which has been described as pro-opposition in Syria, corroborated the Syrian government’s statement and said Israel had targeted an army radar position in the southern province of Daraa that had detected Israeli warplanes.

Israeli strikes on Syria have increased since Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip in response to the October 7 Hamas attacks.

07:42 PM BST

White House has ‘no comment’ on reports of Israel striking Iran

Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, has said she had nothing to share about reports of an Israeli strike on Iran.

“We do not have any comment on the reports at this time,” Ms Jean-Pierre said as she opened a White House press briefing on Friday.

“I’m not going to speak or speculate about any of the reports that are out there. I’m not going to comment. I’m just going to leave it there,” Ms Jean Pierre added when questioned by a reporter on the Israeli strike.

07:24 PM BST

Satellite images show ‘no extensive damage at targeted Iranian facility’

Satellite images of an Iranian facility purportedly targeted in an Israeli strike on Friday do not show “any extensive damage”, CNN has reported.

The US broadcaster obtained images of the location after the strike had taken place, and said no destroyed buildings or large craters were visible.

An unnamed US official, according to ABC News, earlier said that an initial assessment of the strike found that the target had been destroyed, but that the report had yet to be finalised.

06:38 PM BST

Met Police apologises after ‘openly Jewish’ comment

The Metropolitan Police has apologised after footage emerged of officers threatening a man near a pro-Palestinian march with arrest after describing him as “openly Jewish”.

In a statement posted on X, the Met Police said: “It was a poor choice of words and while not intended, we know it will have caused offence to many. We apologise.”

Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, was wearing a kippah skull cap when officers prevented him from crossing the path of the pro-Palestinian demonstration.

In an exchange that was filmed and uploaded to social media, the officer can be heard saying to him: “You are quite openly Jewish. This is a pro-Palestinian march. I am not accusing you of anything but I am worried about the reaction to your presence.”

You can watch footage of the incident here.

06:14 PM BST

Iran says Israeli ‘mini drones’ caused no damage or casualties

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian foreign minister, has said that Israeli “mini drones” fired at the city of Isfahan did not cause any damage or casualties.

In a statement made to envoys of Muslim countries in New York, Amir-Abdollahian also claimed that pro-Israeli media was “trying to make victory out of defeat”.

ABC News reported on Friday that “3 missiles” fired from Israeli fighter jets were used during Israel’s attack on Iran, and that an initial assessment said the strike had been successful.

05:56 PM BST

US considers new $1 billion weapons deal for Israel

The US is considering more than $1 billion in new weapons deals for Israel, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The proposed weapons transfers — which would include tank ammunition, tactical vehicles and mortar rounds — would be among the largest the US has provided to Israel since it invaded Gaza in response to the October 7 Hamas attacks on southern Israel.

The proposal is likely to face opposition from the growing number of Democrats in Congress who want to cut back weapons supplies to Israel in order to pressure the country into taking measures to prevent civilian deaths in Gaza.

Separate to the package, Congress is set to vote this weekend on a pair of bills for security assistance to US allies that would include $26 billion for Israel, a proportion of which would be weapons deals.

Washington has said it delivers weapons to Israel in part to bolster Israel’s long-term defence.

05:23 PM BST

Israel kills senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander in West Bank raid

The Israeli military killed a high-ranking Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander during a raid in the West Bank, Palestinian media has reported.

Muhammad Jaber, known as Abu Shuja’a, was the commander of Islamic Jihad’s local wing in Tulkarem, the reports said.

Four Israeli soldiers are said to have been wounded during the raid.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad is considered to be the most extreme member of the Alliance of Palestinian Forces. You can read more about the terror group here.

05:14 PM BST

Watch: French police arrest man who ‘threatened to blow himself up’ in Iranian consulate in Paris

04:30 PM BST

UN must do more to protect merchant shipping, industry leaders urge

The United Nations must do more to protect merchant shipping and sailors as attacks escalate in the Middle East, shipping industry leaders have told the UN secretary general in a letter signed by 16 maritime associations.

The move came following the seizure of the MSC Aries by Iranian commandos on April 13, a vessel that Iran claimed was linked to Israel.

“The world would be outraged if four airliners were seized and held hostage with innocent souls onboard. Regrettably, there does not seem to be the same response or concern [for ships and their crew members],” the letter said.

The UN has not yet responded to a request for comment.

03:59 PM BST

Israel used ‘target missiles’ in Iran attack, reports suggest

Reports have suggested that the Israeli air force used Blue Sparrow missiles to attack Iran, one of the least escalatory responses possible, writes Dominic Nicholls

The medium-range air-launched ballistic missile was originally designed to be a target for other air defence systems.

A relatively old system, it would have been visible on radar for much of its flight, given the lack of stealth technology.

However, with a modular warhead section that can hold high explosive, it is possible to convert Blue Sparrow missiles into weapons in their own right.

Israel would likely retain its state-of-the-art weaponry for the most important missions only, fearful of giving the Iranians the chance to reverse engineer any novel technologies.

03:51 PM BST

Alleged Israeli missile debris found in Iraq

Iraqi media has published photographs of what it claims is the debris of an Israeli missile fired at Iran early on Friday morning.

The missile remains were reportedly found by members of an Iran-aligned Shia militia.

The booster of an air-launched missile, likely Israeli in origin, reportedly found in Iraq – Twitter

03:31 PM BST

Israeli far-Right activist targeted by US sanctions

The US has sanctioned Benzi Gopstein, the leader of Jewish supremacist group Lehava, in a move aimed at targeting violence instigated by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory.

“Under Gopstein’s leadership, Lehava and its members have been involved in acts or threats of violence against Palestinians, often targeting sensitive or volatile areas,” the US state department said.

Mr Gopstein, who is an ally of Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, has previously said that the burning of Christian churches in Israel is justified.

In January, he was convicted for incitement to racism.

03:10 PM BST

Watch: Muted Iran signals it will not retaliate

03:07 PM BST

Police arrest man ‘who threatened to blow himself up’ inside Iranian embassy in Paris

French police have arrested a man who falsely claimed that he was wearing an explosives belt while inside the Iranian consulate in Paris on Friday morning.

A police source said the man was seen at about 11am entering the consulate, which is located in the Iranian embassy building, carrying what appeared to be a grenade and explosive vest.

Read the full report here.

02:58 PM BST

Israel’s ‘aggression’ risks regional conflict, says Hamas

Israel’s “aggression” towards Iran is an escalation against the entire region, Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, has said.

“We call for expanding the scale of the engagement against the [Israeli] occupation in response to the war of genocide in Gaza and the escalation in the region,” Mr Abu Zuhri told Reuters.

Hamas leaders have frequently praised Iran for its financial and military support.

02:53 PM BST

Inside Iran’s top secret ‘nuclear energy mountain’

This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows Iran’s nuclear site in Isfahan – AP/Planet Labs PBC

When explosions were heard in the Iranian province of Isfahan early Friday morning the thoughts of many Middle East watchers turned to a very particular target, writes Sophia Yan.

The Natanz complex, Iran’s primary uranium enrichment facility, has been the subject of deepening Western interest as Iran seeks to expand its nuclear abilities.

The Nuclear Threat Initiative, a non-profit security organisation, estimates that the Natanz complex itself consists of three underground buildings, two of which are designed to hold 50,000 centrifuges. Six buildings are above ground, two of which are 2,500-metre halls used for gas centrifuge assemblies.

As of October 2022, Iran had installed 4,000 advanced centrifuges at its various enrichment facilities, a 44 per cent increase in a matter of months, according to a report by the Institute for Science and International Security.

Read Sophia’s full report here.

02:48 PM BST

Pictured: Iranians demonstrate against Israel

A worshipper chants slogans as she holds an Iranian flag during an anti-Israeli gathering after Friday prayer in Tehran – Vahid Salemi/AP

An Iranian Shiite Muslim cleric raises a clenched fist as others carry pictures of Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during an anti-Israel demonstration – ATTA KENARE/AFP

02:39 PM BST

Join the conversation in the comments below

02:34 PM BST

Netanyahu’s war cabinet splintering as security minister calls attack on Iran ‘lame’

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has repeatedly criticised the Israeli government over its war in Gaza and escalating tensions with Iran – AMIR COHEN/REUTERS

An Israeli minister has described Friday’s attack on Iran as “lame”, in a sign of the growing rift in Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet, writes Jotam Confino.

Multiple explosions believed to be caused by the interception of drones were reported early on Friday morning over the Iranian city of Isfahan, home to a major air base and nuclear site.

The US later confirmed that Israel had launched a retaliatory assault in response to last week’s attack by Tehran, which involved more than 300 drones, rockets and missiles.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, the hard-Right national security minister, quickly dismissed his country’s operation with a one-word post on X, formally Twitter, using the Hebrew slang word that literally translates as “Scarecrow”.

Read Jotam’s full report here.

02:27 PM BST

UN chief says ‘high time to stop dangerous cycle’ of retaliation

Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General,  has said that “it is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation” in the Middle East.

In a carefully worded statement that did not mention Israel’s latest attack on Iran, Mr Guterres’s spokesman said: “The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond.”

02:24 PM BST

Israel has just handed Iran a major victory

What is the point of retaliation? Not revenge, for that is no way to conduct serious foreign policy. Not domestic politics, for drumming up popular support is not a reason to send a nation’s sons into action. No, the point is security. The point is to create a deterrent,  writes Jake Wallis Simons

By this measure, did the Israeli strike on Isfahan achieve its objective? It is too early to tell, but the first indications are that if no further action is to follow, it was unlikely to do so.

If there is one adjective that has been attached to the assumed Israeli retaliation in recent days, it is “limited”. It has been used by the Americans, it has been used by the Israelis, and it was used by the British diplomats I spoke to who returned from Israel on Thursday. “Limited” is all very well; it plays nicely to the international community who are congenitally bent on holding Israel to a draw. But it will hardly strike fear into the heart of the Iranian regime.

Read Jake’s full column here.

02:15 PM BST

Pictured: G7 leaders meet amid Middle East crisis

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani (left) walks with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Lord Cameron – ALESSANDRO DI MEO/Shutterstock

Pro-Palestinian activists clash with police, as they try to embark on a ferry to protest G7 meeting at Capri – REUTERS

Lord Cameron (left) speaks with Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani – GREGORIO BORGIA/AFP

02:08 PM BST

US: Our message is de-escalation

Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, has pointedly underscored the fact that the US had no involvement in Friday morning’s strike.

America’s top diplomat, like officials in the White House here in Washington this morning, was tight-lipped on the attack.

Speaking from the G7 foreign ministers summit in Capri, Italy, Mr Blinken gave only a brief response to questions from reporters.

“The United States was not involved in any offensive operations,” he said, adding: “Avoiding conflict remains our focus.”

Mr Blinken said the US, and the rest of the G7, was “committed to de-escalating” and “to trying to bring this tension to a close”.

01:50 PM BST

Iran ready for any further air attacks, says army chief

Iran is ready for any further air attacks, the country’s army chief has said.

Kioumars Heydari, the commander of Iran’s ground forces, said the country remains vigilant of any potential aerial threats.

“If suspicious flying objects appear in the sky of the country, they will be targeted by our powerful air defence,” he said, according to state-owned media. “Even though last night’s objects were suspicious, our country’s defences reacted intelligently.”

Mr Heydari also said Iran’s April 13 attacks on Israel “showed that the Islamic republic has the upper hand in the region and can establish security without the interference of any foreign power”.

01:40 PM BST

Tehran signals no retaliation against Israel

A senior Iranian official has said there are no plans to retaliate against Israel’s strike.

“The foreign source of the incident has not been confirmed. We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack,” the official, who was not named, told Reuters.

The official’s remarks come as Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s president, today hailed Tehran’s retaliatory strike against Israel last week but failed to mention the explosions heard in Iran this morning.

Last week’s operation “showed our authority, our people’s will of steel and our unity,” Raisi told hundreds of people in Semnan province, east of Tehran.

Analysts have interpreted Iran’s claims that the attack was carried out by domestic “infiltrators”, rather than by Israel, as a means of avoiding the need to retaliate.

Hossein Dalirian, Iran’s space agency spokesman, said there was “a failed and humiliating attempt to fly quad-copters, which were shot down”, but denied Iran had been attacked from abroad.

“There have been no air attacks from outside the borders against Isfahan or other parts of the country so far,” he wrote on Twitter.

Today’s strikes coincided with the birthday of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader.

01:26 PM BST

World demands end to missile strikes after Israel attacks Iran

World leaders have called for “absolute restraint” after Israel escalated its conflict with Iran by launching strikes near a military base.

Ursula von der Leyen, the chief of the European commission, said it is “absolutely necessary” that “all sides refrain from further action” after explosions were reported early this morning near Iran’s Isfahan air base, which sits close to a major nuclear facility.

Antonio Tajani, the Italian foreign minister, called for “absolute de-escalation”, following Iranian reports it had shot down three drones in the area, while prime minister Rishi Sunak said he wants to see  “calm heads prevail across the region”.

US intelligence reports of an Israeli missile strike have been dismissed by Tehran, which downplayed the incident and indicated it had no plans for retaliation. Isreal has not confirmed the strikes.

China voiced opposition to “any actions that further escalate tensions”, in an apparent criticism of Israel’s retaliatory strike

01:21 PM BST

Israel’s ‘desparate attempt failed’, says Iranian MP

An Iranian MP has blasted Israel’s attack as a “desparate attempt” and a failure.

Mehdi Toghyani, an Iranian MP from Isfahan – the site of Israel’s morning strikes – said the “desperate attempt” from Israel had “failed and brought new disgrace for them”.

Suggesting that the attacks were orchestrated by Israel “with the help of local agents”, Mr Toghyani emphasised Tehran’s defensive capabilities.

“Let them know that we are at peak readiness to protect our dear Iran,” he said.

12:38 PM BST

Catch-up: Why did Israel attack Iran and could it spark all-out war?

Israel struck Iran on Friday morning in an attack that dramatically raises the stakes in a simmering conflict, writes Benedict Smith.

Benjamin Netanyahu appears to have defied Western calls for restraint, sparking fears of another major escalation in the Middle East.

As Israel and Iran trade strikes and counter-strikes, concern is mounting that a regional war could erupt.

But how likely is it that a third world war could break out?

Read the full analysis here.

12:36 PM BST

West sent de-escalation messages to Iran via Turkey

Western states have sought to send Iran messages via Turkey in recent days to reiterate appeals for de-escalation, a Western diplomat said.

After Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel last weekend, Turkey’s foreign ministry confirmed contacts with Iran and the United States in a statement, saying Ankara had called for restraint and warned of a regional war if tensions escalated further.

“In recent days we have sought to send Iran messages via Turkey – particularly reiterating the message of de-escalation,” a Western diplomat told Reuters, when asked about messages carried to Tehran by Ankara.

John Bass, a senior US official, travelled to Ankara earlier this week and met Turkey’s top diplomat Hakan Fidan.

“They … discussed the critical importance of preventing further escalation or a wider conflict in the region,” a US official said.

12:22 PM BST

Netanyahu has done what the world warned him not to

Israel’s strike on Iran on Friday morning will not come as a surprise to Western observers – but it will cause great concern in Washington and London as the region tips closer towards an all-out war.

Following Iran’s attack on Israel on April 13, itself a response to an Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate, Israel was clear a response would be required.

That night, Joe Biden talked down Benjamin Netanyahu from launching an immediate response, warning him that America would not support or join in any offence against Iran.

The president reportedly told the Israeli leader to “take the win” from his stunningly effective air defences, which restricted the effect of the Iranian strikes to a damaged plane and a battered runway.

Read the full analysis here.

12:02 PM BST

G7 opposes Israeli invasion of Rafah

G7 foreign ministers have opposed Israel’s planned “full-scale military operation in Rafah” owing to the “catastrophic consequences” the invasion could have on more than 1.5 million Palestinians currently sheltering in Gaza’s region’s southernmost city.

“We reiterate our call for a credible and actionable plan to protect the civilian population there,” G7 foreign ministers said, adding that an “unacceptable number of civilians” had been killed in Israel’s war in the enclave so far.

“We deplore all losses of civilian lives and note with great concern the unacceptable number of civilians, including thousands of women, children and persons in vulnerable situations who have been killed in Gaza,” the statement read.

11:52 AM BST

G7 calls on ‘all parties’ to avoid escalation

G7 foreign ministers have urged “all parties” to “work to prevent further escalation” in the Middle East, following Israel’s attack on Iran this morning.

“In light of reports of strikes on April 19th, we urge all parties to work to prevent further escalation. The G7 will continue to work to this end,” the Group of Seven nations said in a statement after a meeting on the Italian island of Capri.

11:36 AM BST

Germany and Russia call for restraint

Germany has pleaded pleaded for restraint on both sides following Israel’s attack on Iran.

“De-escalation must be the advice of the hour,” said Steffen Hebestreit, a government spokesman, adding: “We must prevent a conflagration at all costs, and this appeal goes to all sides.”

Moscow also said that it “does not want escalation”, following the strikes near an Iranian air base.

“There have been telephone contacts between the leadership of Russia and Iran, our representatives and the Israelis,” Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, told reporters. “We made it very clear in these conversations, we told the Israelis that Iran does not want escalation.”

11:27 AM BST

Israel attack ‘carefully calibrated’

Israel’s morning attack on an Iranian military base was “carefully calibrated” to signal Israel’s ability to attack Iran on home soil, reports suggest.

The impact of the strike near Iran’s Isfahan air base is not yet clear, with Tehran officials downplaying the incident, reporting no damage has been caused.

Two source with inside knowledge of Israel’s attack have said the strike was designed to send a message to Tehran, the Washington Post reported.

Military analysts have suggested Israel’s intention was to hit back following Iran’s massive missile and drone attack last week, but to avoid further escalation.

11:17 AM BST

Pictured: No response from Iran following Israeli strike

An anti-Israel billboard with a picture of Iranian missiles is seen on a street in Tehran – Majid Asgaripour/REUTERS

Military personnel stand guard at a nuclear facility in the Zardanjan area of Isfahan, Iran – REUTERS/WANA

10:57 AM BST

Direct strikes between Israel and Iran are ‘over’, says intelligence source

Direct attacks between Israel and Iran on each other’s soil are “over”, a regional intelligence source has said.

The unnamed source, who has knowledge of Tehran’s potential reaction, said that Iran was not expected to respond to the strikes, CNN reported.

It comes as Iranian government officials have so far sought to downplay the impact of Friday’s attack.

10:47 AM BST

Explosions were caused by air defence, says Iran

Iran’s military chief has said explosions in the sky above Isfahan were caused by anti-aircraft systems.

Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said the Iran’s air defence shot down a “suspicious object” that did not cause any damage.

“Experts are investigating this incident and will inform about the matter after receiving the results,” he said, according to Iran state media, without commenting on whether Israel was behind the attack.

His remarks echo those of a Siavash Mihandoost, Iran’s military commander in Isfahan, who said earlier that there was no “damage or incident” following the attack.

See post at 9.05am for further details.

10:31 AM BST

Watch: Iran emergency vehicles in action

Iranian emergency services arrive at the scene of this morning’s strike.

10:08 AM BST

Israel officials “mocking themselves” says Iran

Iranian state media has ridiculed a social media post by Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s hard-line national security minister, stating: “The Israeli authorities are mocking themselves!”

Mr Ben-Gvir earlier wrote a one-word post on Twitter, which roughly translates as “lame”, in an apparent effort to mock Israel’s strike near an iranian military base this morning.

“The Minister of Internal Security of the Zionist regime wrote to the reports about the Isfahan incident: Weak!” Tasnim, an Iranian state-affiliated news agency, wrote on Twitter.

Yair Lapid, Israel’s opposition leader, slammed Mr Ben-Gvir’s comments as “unforgiveable” and accused him of tarnishing Israel’s international reputation.

“Never before has a minister in the security cabinet done such heavy damage to the country’s security, its image and its international status,” Mr Lapid wrote on Twitter.

“In an unforgivable one-word tweet, Ben Gvir managed to mock and shame Israel from Tehran to Washington.”

09:42 AM BST

Update: Israeli missiles strike Syrian army positions

Israeli missile strikes this morning targeted a Syrian army position in the country’s south, Syria’s government has confirmed.

In a statement, Syria’s defence ministry said: “the Israeli enemy carried out an attack using missiles… targeting our air defence sites in the southern region” and causing material damage.

Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the strikes took place “at a time when the Israeli air force was flying intensively over the Daraa region” without Syrian air defences taking any action.

See post at 6.31am for further details.

09:31 AM BST

EU chief urges restraint

Ursula von der Leyen, the chief of the European commission, called for restraint to avoid further escalation in the Middle East following Israel’s morning strike.

“We have to do everything possible (so) that all sides restrain from the escalation in that region,” Ms von der Leyen told reporters during a visit to Finland. “It is absolutely necessary that the region stays stable and that all sides refrain from further action.”

09:29 AM BST

Watch: Explosions over Iran

Footage posted online shows flashes over Isfahan earlier this morning, reportedly capturing Iran’s air defence systems intercepting Israeli drones.

09:26 AM BST

Iranian media shows calm scenes following attack

Iranian media has published footage and images of calm scenes this morning in Isfahan, where air defences were activated following reports of explosions just a few hours ago.

Footage of the area showed residents walking near local landmarks such as the Naqsh-e Jahan square and along the Zayandeh Rud river, while normal traffic was reported in the city, according to the ISNA news outlet.

In the northwest city of Tabriz – where explosions were also reported – footage showed normal traffic flow and pedestrians in parks and on the streets, CNN reported.

09:17 AM BST

US embassy in Israel restricts diplomats’ movements

The US embassy in Israel has restricted government employees and their families from travelling outside of three major cities “until further notice”, amid heightened regional tensions follow Israel’s strike on Iran.

“Out of an abundance of caution following reports that Israel conducted a retaliatory strike inside Iran, US government employees and their family members are restricted from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv…Jerusalem, and Be’er Sheva areas until further notice,” a security alert on the mission’s website read.

Due to a “complex” security environment that “can change quickly”, the embassy “may further restrict or prohibit” travel to parts of Israel, Jerusalem’s Old City and the occupied West Bank, the advisory added.

09:05 AM BST

Isfahan to hold pro-Gaza demonstration after Israel attack

Isfahan residents will hold a demonstration in support of Palestinians in Gaza, just hours after reports of explosions near the city following an Israeli strike, the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) reported.

With the city “back to normal”, residents will march across the city after the Friday prayers, ISNA said.

Iranian state-owned media has said operations at Isfahan’s Shahid Beheshti airport, which were suspended this morning, are back to normal.

Iran’s military chief in Isfahan, Siavash Mihandoost, said there was “no accident or damage” in the region following the explosions, ISNA reported.

It comes as analysts suggested Iran is attempting to downplay the significance of the attack in an attempt to de-escalate.

08:54 AM BST

World reacts to Israel’s attack

The world has so-far been divided in its response to Israel’s attack on Iran this morning, with Western nations largely supporting Israel’s right to defend itself, and neighbouring Arab nations condemning the strikes.

Britain

Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, called for “calm heads to prevail” as he reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself.

“We have condemned Iran’s reckless and dangerous barrage of missiles against Israel on Saturday and Israel absolutely has a right to self-defence,” he said.

“But as I said to Prime Minister Netanyahu when I spoke to him [this week] and more generally, significant escalation is not in anyone’s interest, what we want to see is calm heads prevail across the region.

France

France’s deputy foreign minister said: “Israel is right to defend itself within international law”.

Germany

“De-escalation remains the order of the day in the near future,” said Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor. “And we will also talk about this with all our friends and allies, and work together with them in this direction.”

Russia

Moscow has claimed it told Israel that Iran “does not want escalation”.

“There have been telephone contacts between the leadership of Russia and Iran, our representatives and the Israelis,” Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said. “We made it very clear in these conversations, we told the Israelis that Iran does not want escalation.”

Italy

Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister, has called for “absolute de-escalation” in the Middle East. “We invite everyone to be cautious to avoid an escalation,” he told RAI news.

The Netherlands 

Hanke Bruins, the Dutch foreign minister, described developments in the Middle East as “deeply worrying” and said “we are closely monitoring the situation”. “It is of paramount importance that further escalation is prevented,” she wrote on Twitter.

Oman

Oman hit out at Israel’s retaliatory strike, condemning “repeated Israeli military attacks in the region”.

China

Lin Jian, Beijing’s foreign ministry said: “China opposes any actions that further escalate tensions and will continue to play a constructive role to de-escalate the situation.”

Japan

Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, said: “Japan is deeply concerned about the situation in the Middle East and strongly condemn [sic] any actions that lead to the escalation of the situation.

“Japan will continue to make all necessary diplomatic efforts to prevent the situation from worsening further.”

Turkey

Turkey’s foreign ministry has also called for de-escalation, saying the priority of the international community should be “to stop the massacre in Gaza and to ensure lasting peace” .

Egypt

Egypt’s foreign ministry has said it is “deeply concerned” about an escalation of hostilities following Israel’s attack.

Sweden

Tobias Billstrom, Sweden’s foreign minister, said: “There has to be an end to the exchange of blows and escalation.

“This is something we from the government’s side take very seriously and are following very closely.”

Jordan

“We warn against the danger of regional escalation. We condemn all actions that threaten dragging the region into war,” Jordan’s foreign ministry said. “Israeli-Iranian retaliations must end. The inhumane war on Gaza must end now. The focus of the world must remain on ending the catastrophic aggression on Gaza.”

08:31 AM BST

No immediate plans for retaliation, says senior Iran official

Iran has no plans to immediately retaliate against Israel, senior Iranian official tells Reuters, hours after Israel launched a direct attack on Iranian soil.

“The foreign source of the incident has not been confirmed,”  the Iranian official, who was not named, told Reuters. “We have not received any external attack, and the discussion leans more towards infiltration than attack.”

08:17 AM BST

Mapped: Where the strikes took place

08:09 AM BST

‘Israel has a right to defend itself,’ says Cabinet minister

Mel Stride, the work and pensions secretary, has said Britain recognises Israel’s right to defend itself while pushing for de-escalation in the region, following Israel’s overnight strikes on Iran.

“Where we are as a Government is recognising very clearly that Israel has a right to defend itself,” Mr Stride told Times Radio. “At the same time though, we are pressing our Israeli allies and others in the region to really work hard towards de-escalation.”

He added that Lord Cameron is in conversation with G7 counterparts in Italy this morning, who “will be focused on exactly that, and the importance of de-escalating tensions in the region”.

07:54 AM BST

Hard-right Israeli official labels attack ‘lame’

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s hard-right national security minister, has issued a comment on Twitter, appearing to mock the Israeli attack, simply saying “Lame”.

Tally Gotliv, a fellow hard-right member of the Knesset, also appeared to comment on the strike on social media, describing it as a source of “pride”.

“Good morning, people of Israel. This is a morning in which the head is held high with pride,” he wrote. “Israel is a strong and powerful country. May we regain the power of deterrence.”

The Israeli prime minister’s office is yet to comment on the strike near an Iranian air base.

07:47 AM BST

Iran suspends flights amid Israeli strikes

Flights in Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz were suspended for over two hours this morning.

The country’s civil aviation authority later reported the flights were back to normal by early Friday.

Iran clears airspace after Israeli strike – FlightRadar

07:39 AM BST

Iran attack was inside job, state media reports

Iranian media has dismissed claims this morning’s attack came from abroad, despite widespread reports it was launched by Israel.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency quoted “informed sources” as saying that “there are no reports of an attack from abroad against Isfahan or any other part of Iran”.

An Iranian analyst speaking on state TV argued separately that drones, which Iran has claimed it shot down, were flown by “infiltrators from inside” the country.

07:11 AM BST

‘No damage’ to Iran’s nuclear sites, says UN atomic watchdog

Israel’s strike on Iran has caused no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed.

The agency is continuing to monitor the situation very closely and called for extreme restraint from all sides, stressing that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts, it wrote on Twitter.

The Iranian state-owned news network Press TV also said that there was “no sign of explosion or damage” at a nuclear site near the city of Isfahan, where explosions were reported following an Israeli strike this morning.

Western officials told US media Israel had launched missiles, while Iran said it shot down drones around the Isfahan air base close to the nuclear facility.

06:49 AM BST

Pictured: Israel’s early morning strike on Iran

Smoke billows in the air as Israel strikes Iran – Twitter via Mario Nawfal

06:46 AM BST

US embassy in Israel imposes travel ban for families and staff

The US embassy in Israel on Friday imposed travel restrictions on its employees and their families following news that Israel had struck Iran.

“Out of an abundance of caution following reports that Israel conducted a retaliatory strike inside Iran, US government employees and their family members are restricted from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv (including Herzliya, Netanya, and Even Yehuda), Jerusalem, and Beersheva areas until further notice,” a security advisory read.

06:40 AM BST

Warning for ships to stay alert in case of UAV activity

British security firm Ambrey warned merchant vessels transiting “the Arabian Gulf and Western Indian Ocean” on Friday to stay alert in case of increased uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) activity in the region.

The warning comes amid reports of uncrewed aircraft being involved in Israel’s retaliatory strike against Iran.

06:31 AM BST

Israel hits military position in Syria’s south

Israel’s strikes targeted a Syrian Army position in the country’s south, a war monitor said.

Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the strikes “targeted a radar installation of the Syrian Army” between the provinces of Sweida and Daraa provinces.

A military source told Syria’s SANA news agency that the missile strike occurred at 2.55am and caused “material losses”.

06:25 AM BST

Iran’s ageing defences make them highly vulnerable

Ageing air defences, including old American and Russian warplanes that date back to the 1970s, have left Iran highly vulnerable to an Israeli attack.

They are built largely around Russian S-200 and S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems or a range of locally-produced equivalents such as the Bavar-373, Khordad, Raad, Sayyad and Talash.

Some of the American and Russian warplanes are from the 1970s era of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.

The obsolete systems are in stark contrast to Israel’s formidable defence weapons, which helped prevent major damage from occurring during Iran’s missile and drone attack last weekend.

06:17 AM BST

Commander: Defence systems targeting ‘suspicious object’ caused explosions

Air defence systems targeting a “suspicious object” was the cause of explosions heard overnight in Isfahan, a senior commander of Iran’s Army, Siavosh Mihandoust, said.

He reiterated Iran’s position that no damage was caused in the overnight attack.

Iranian state TV showed what they claimed was a live picture of the city of Isfahan amid reports of explosions – AFP

05:54 AM BST

US had advance warning on Israel’s retaliatory strike

The United States received advance notice of Israel’s reported strike on Iran, but did not endorse the operation or play any part in its execution, reports quoted officials as saying.

NBC and CNN, citing sources familiar with the matter and a US official, said Israel had provided Washington with pre-notification of the strike.

05:49 AM BST

Flights cancelled into Tehran

Flydubai has cancelled flights to Tehran on Friday and turned back flight FZ 1929 due to the closure of the airport, the carrier said in a statement.

International flights into Iran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport have also been cancelled until 7am GMT, according to Iranian news agency Mehr.

05:39 AM BST

Australia tells citizens to leave Israel

Australia has urged its citizens to leave Israel, warning there is a “high threat” of a military response to its strike on Iran.

“There’s a high threat of military reprisals & terrorist attacks against Israel & Israeli interests across the region,” its foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The security situation could deteriorate quickly. We urge Australians in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories to depart if it’s safe to do so.”

05:33 AM BST

Iran ‘may be downplaying strikes to avoid war’

Iran may be downplaying this morning’s Israeli strike to avoid escalation, an expert has suggested, after the country’s state media reported there was no damage from Friday morning’s attack.

Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs, said the reaction from Iran suggests a retaliatory strike is not imminent.

“Tehran is trying to downplay the Israeli response, as evidenced by the coverage by state media, which attempted to show that all was ‘safe and calm’,” she told The Telegraph.

“However, citizen journalist footage of air raid sirens going off and air defence responding in Isfahan suggests this was not some minor event.

“This downplaying of events by Tehran may actually be a tactic to prevent them from feeling the need to retaliate directly against Israel again,” she said.

“In essence, this could potentially be a restoration of deterrence.”

05:30 AM BST

Why Israel attacked Iran and could it spark all-out war?

As Israel and Iran begin to trade strikes and counter-strikes, it has fuelled fears that a regional war could break out amid growing instability in the Middle East.

With the Ukraine-Russia war entering its third year, the global order seems to be fraying. Some believe it could snap altogether, and that these conflicts – relatively confined, so far – could tip into a world war.

Read our explainer by Benedict Smith on whether the Middle East crisis could push the world into a major conflict

05:24 AM BST

Explosions were air defence systems, says Iran

The explosions heard in Isfahan were a result of Iran’s air defence systems being activated, an Iranian official has told Reuters.

The official added that no missile attack had been carried out against Iran.

Iran has been quick to downplay reports of an attack and Iranian media said “no major damage” has occurred.

“Reports indicate there was no major damage or large explosions caused by the impact of any air threat,” the official IRNA news agency said.

A man watches TV reports in Iran following explosions – Anadolu

05:08 AM BST

Watch: Emergency vehicles rush to air base amid explosions

Video has emerged on X of fire trucks and emergency vehicles rushing to an air base in the city of Isfahan, where explosions reportedly sounded on Friday morning.

The vision has not been independently verified, but it has been widely circulated on social media.

05:01 AM BST

Iran previously threatened to build nuclear bomb

Iran previously threatened to build a nuclear bomb if it was attacked by Israel in retaliation.

Tehran also warned it would hit Israeli atomic facilities if Benjamin Netanyahu ordered strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites.

Both Iran and Israel are yet to comment on Friday morning’s strike, where explosions were reported near a military base in the Iranian city of Isfahan.

But the world will be on edge as it awaits news on how Iran will retaliate. Iran had vowed to retaliate immediately if hit, and “at a maximum level”.

04:49 AM BST

Rishi Sunak to give speech on Friday morning

Rishi Sunak is giving a major speech on Friday morning in London.

Downing Street has prepared an announcement on “sick note culture” and Mr Sunak’s plans to reform workplace illness.

However, the event is now likely to be dominated by the events in the Middle East.

Mr Sunak was among the G7 leaders who had urged “restraint” from Benjamin Netanyahu after the Iranian attack on Israel on April 13.

04:38 AM BST

Analysis: Netanyahu has done just what the world told him not to

Israel’s strike on Iran on Friday morning will not come as a surprise to Western observers – but it will cause great concern in Washington and London as the region tips closer towards an all-out war.

Following Iran’s attack on Israel on April 13, itself a response to an Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate, Tel Aviv was clear a response would be required.

That night, Joe Biden talked down Benjamin Netanyahu from launching an immediate response, warning him that America would not support or join in any offence against Iran.

The president reportedly told the Israeli leader to “take the win” from his stunningly effective air defences, which restricted the effect of the Iranian strikes to a damaged plane and a battered runway.

However, that advice has not been heeded universally by Mr Netanyahu’s colleagues.

Read the full analysis here

04:29 AM BST

Israel military refuses to comment

Israel’s military said on Friday that “we don’t have a comment at this time” when asked about its strikes on Iran.

The military separately announced that sirens sounded in northern Israel, along the border with Lebanon, but these were a false alarm.

04:25 AM BST

Iran downplays attack as news agency says nuclear facilities ‘completely secure’

Iran’s space agency spokesman Hossein Dalirian said “several” drones had been “successfully shot down” and there were no reports of a missile attack.

“There are no reports of a missile attack for now,” Mr Dalirian said on X.

The Tasnim news agency also added the nuclear facilities in Isfahan were “completely secure”.

Three explosions were heard near the Shekari army airbase in the northwest of Isfahan province.

04:22 AM BST

Israeli military: Sirens in northern Israel a false alarm

Warning sirens that sounded early on Friday in northern Israel were a false alarm, the Israeli military said.

The sirens went off shortly after reports emerged of Israel’s strikes in Iran.

04:17 AM BST

Washington silent as officials scramble to assess Israeli attack

Both the White House’s National Security Council and the Pentagon are refusing to comment on the record about tonight’s strike in Iran.

Several American news outlets have received briefings from sources inside the administration, but the message put out to reporters has been that officials are aware of the reports and are assessing the situation.

We have not yet heard from Joe Biden, who is back in Washington after a visit to Philadelphia this afternoon. Mr Biden will be expected to convene his national security team in the White House situation room.

Previously, he met with his closest officials, plus Lloyd Austin, the Defence Secretary, Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State, and William Burns, the director of the CIA.

04:13 AM BST

Fears that strikes have hit nuclear facility

Reports have emerged that Israel’s strikes have hit a nuclear facility in Isfahan.

Iran’s Natanz nuclear site, the country’s primary enrichment facility, is located in the city.

It houses both the commercial Fuel Enrichment Plant and the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, and is so deep in the earth that it is likely beyond the range of a last-ditch US weapon designed to destroy such sites, according to experts.

But the Mizan News agency said the nuclear facilities in Isfahan were “completely safe”.

“The report of some foreign media about the incident in this facility is incorrect.”

03:52 AM BST

Explained: Why has Israel hit Iran in retaliatory strike

Israel told the US earlier today that it planned to respond to Iran’s attack on April 13, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Israeli officials have been clear for some time that an attack on Iran would take place, but the Tel Aviv government did not say when the strike would take place.

Debate has raged for some time about whether the strike should be on Iranian soil, or directed at its proxy groups elsewhere in the Middle East.

There have also been reports this evening of explosions in Iraq and Syria, but they have not yet been linked directly to Israeli military activity.

03:43 AM BST

Drones shot down near Isfahan air base, IRGC claim

Iranian journalists are reporting that the IRGC is claiming to have shot down several drones around the Isfahan air base where the strike reportedly took place.

There is little detail yet about the nature of tonight’s strike on Iran, but initial reports suggest Tel Aviv may have used a combination of drones and missiles– the same tactic Iran used against Israel last week.

The IRGC uploaded this video of it intercepting Israel’s strikes:

03:36 AM BST

Iran’s state TV: ‘Big explosions’ heard in Isfahan

“Big explosions” were heard near Isfahan, Iran’s state TV reported on Friday.

“News sources are reporting hearing big explosions in Isfahan province,” it said.

Meanwhile, Mehr news agency reported that “flights to Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz, and airports in the west, northwest and southwest have been suspended.”

03:31 AM BST

Isfahan is home to major airbase for Iranian military

Explosions reportedly occurred near an air force base that lies northeast of Isfahan, according to the Fars news agency.

The city of Isfahan is home to a major airbase for the Iranian military and sites associated with its nuclear program, including Natanz, a centrepiece of Iran’s uranium enrichment program.

It is located some 350 kilometres (215 miles) from Tehran.

03:25 AM BST

Iran activates air defence system

Iran’s air-defence system has been activated in Isfahan and several other cities amid Israel’s strikes.

“Iran’s air defence has been activated in the skies of several provinces of the country,” the official IRNA news agency said.

03:09 AM BST

Flights divert around western Iran as explosions heard

Commercial flights began diverting their routes early on Friday morning over western Iran amid reports there had been “explosions” heard over the city of Isfahan.

Dubai-based carriers Emirates and FlyDubai diverted flights about 4:30am local time. They offered no explanation, though local warnings to aviators suggested the airspace may have been closed.

It is understood the sound of explosions rang out over Isfahan near its international airport. Isfahan is home to a major airbase for the Iranian military, as well as sites associated with its nuclear program.

Iran’s government offered no immediate comment.

03:06 AM BST

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