Fears have again risen that the conflict between Iran and Israel in the Middle East will mark the fetal stages of World War Three.
More than 300 missiles and drones were deployed towards Israel in what is Iran’s first direct attack on Israeli territory – a breakaway from the proxy war between the two states.
RAF jets have been used to shoot down drones, part of Iran’s retaliation to Israel’s incineration of a consulate building in Syria on April 1, in which some of Iran’s top commanders were killed.
Aircraft in Iraq and Syria have been sent to intercept ‘any airborne attacks within range of our existing missions,’ the Ministry of Defence said, after prime minister Rishi Sunak was quick to side with Israel.
A 10-year-old girl has been ‘severely injured’ by shrapnel in the ‘unprecedented’ attack, which could set the whole region on fire.
Air raid sirens continued to sound overnight across Israel, including in Tel Aviv and West Jerusalem.
Explosions were heard as Israeli air defences intercepted the projectiles, helped by forces from the UK, France and the US.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency war cabinet to discuss the situation late on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, in Washington, US president Joe Biden also held an emergency meeting with top security officials.
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