An Israeli official has anonymously confirmed the military is “preparing a response” to the Iranian missile barrage that targeted Israel earlier this week.

Israel’s assassination of longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, its elimination of most of the group's top commanders and the destruction of its communications system – spectacularly illustrated by exploding pagers and walkie-talkies – has crippled the Shiite group, leaving it with little choice but to return to the guerrilla tactics it deployed when it began in the 1980s.

Beirut airstrike killed at least 9, Lebanese officials say

The supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seeking to avenge Israel’s successive assassinations of Iranian proxy leaders.

Iran has launched a barrage of 200 missiles at Israel, with sirens blaring across the country as citizens hid in bomb shelters. It came shortly after terrorists opened fire in a deadly mass shooting outside an Israeli train station.

Tens of thousands of people in Beirut are frantically packing their bags as Israeli bombs rain down, but many have nowhere to escape to

The terrorist had issued a stark warning to Israel: ‘Prepare to cry and wail’

Washington gave Israel the green light to mount an offensive, in contrast to its public calls for a ceasefire, sources have claimed

• • Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu has launched a series of devastating attacks on Hezbollah.
  • He has rejected or ignored a series of attempts by the US to head off a wider conflict.
  • Biden has been criticized for trying to stop a wider war while still sending arms to Israel.

The Hezbollah deputy says the group is not going anywhere and is ready for an Israeli ground offensive into Lebanon

Reports of elite troops operating in Hezbollah tunnels as IDF airstrikes hit Beirut and tanks mass on the frontier

Israel has wiped out a number of top Hezbollah commanders as they look to continue destroying the para-militant group.

Diplomats were hoping to calm matters - they will be looking at events with dismay.

Western allies have stepped in as chaos continues to rain down on civilians in the Middle East, with analysts fearing the worst is yet to come.

Hezbollah’s leader has said Israel wanted to ‘kill 5000’ with its device attacks – but just as he was speaking Israel performed a mock air raid on Beirut

More than 30 killed, thousands wounded over 2 days after devices used by Hezbollah were detonated

Thousands of walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah terrorists have blown up in a second deadly wave of explosions across Lebanon, as Israel declares a “new phase of war”.

As the Middle East implodes, fears are growing of a global war which would be “far more devastating than anything seen so far”.

Israel yet to make statement about detonations across Lebanon that killed a 10-year-old girl and left 400 in a reported critical condition