The already volatile Middle East has plunged into a new and dangerous phase of conflict as Israel and Iran openly traded blows over the past two days

Israel's military said early Sunday it had struck Iran's defence ministry headquarters, "nuclear weapons project" infrastructure sites and other targets, as the rival nations exchanged fire for a third day.

Israel launched its offensive against Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure on Friday. Iran has retaliated to the Israeli airstrike by firing scores of ballistic missiles on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA said hundreds of ballistic missiles had been launched in retaliation for Israel’s biggest ever attacks on Iran, blasting Iran’s huge underground nuclear site at Natanz an