Iran sends new missile barrage at Israel, Israel renews Iran attacks

Iran has launched a fresh wave of ballistic missiles at Israel as sirens sound across the country and residents rush to their shelters.

Britain has deployed more jets to the Middle East after Iran threatened the United States and UK that it could retaliate if they come to Israel's defence amid fears the entire region will descend into war.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the conflict between the long-time foes needs to 'de-escalate' and that planes will offer 'contingency support across the region'.

It comes after the Iranian-owned Mehr news agency warned: 'Any country that participates in repelling Iranian attacks on Israel will be subject to Iranian forces targeting all regional bases of the complicit government'.

France was also implicated in the chilling threat, which came as Israel launched fresh strikes against Iran and vowed 'Tehran will burn' if it keeps targeting its civilians.

'The Iranian dictator is turning the citizens of Iran into hostages and bringing about a reality in which they - especially the residents of Tehran - will pay a heavy price because of the criminal harm to Israeli civilians,' said Defence Minister Israel Katz.

'If (Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles toward the Israeli home front - Tehran will burn.'

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said its raids had cleared its path to the capital. 

'We have created aerial freedom of action from west Iran all the way to Tehran... Tehran is no longer immune,' said spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin.

Israel and Iran exchanged fire a day after Israel unleashed an unprecedented aerial bombing campaign that Iran confirmed had hit its nuclear facilities, 'martyred' top commanders and killed dozens of civilians.

Iran has hit back with waves of drone and missile strikes, with a barrage of dozens lighting up the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv overnight, killing three people and wounding 76.

Following decades of enmity and conflict by proxy, it is the first time that Israel and Iran have traded fire with such intensity, with fears of a prolonged conflict engulfing the region.

Israel launched the aerial assault early Friday, only days before Iran and the United States had been due to hold a sixth round of talks on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme.

Iran's UN ambassador meanwhile said 78 people had been killed and 320 wounded in Friday's first wave of Israeli strikes.

Operation Rising Lion has targeted military sites in Iran as well as nuclear facilities in a devastating wave of air strikes - escalating fears the Middle East is on the brink of all-out war.