"We see it as a war of defence," Ami Ayalon, the former head of Israel's security agency Shin Bet, and commander in chief of the Israeli Navy, told the BBC's Newshour programme this morning.

"Most Israelis see Iran as major existential threat," he explains.

"They are very, very close to reaching a military nuclear capability - as I understand our intelligence, it was clear from now on we will not have the ability [to strike] if we do not do it now."

Asked by presenter Celia Hatton about the role of US President Donald Trump in the strikes, Ayalon says: "He gave the impression to our prime minister that he will everything our prime minister will do."

He adds that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will "play the bad guy" and attack, "and America will be the good guy… a day later when Iran understands the consequences of not g" a nuclear deal with the US, then "it will be easier for [Trump] to achieve this deal."

Iran will see this as a battle for survivalpublished at 10:16 British Summer Time

10:16 BST

Lyse Doucet
Chief international correspondent

Prime Minister Netanyahu has opened another open-front war.

He says it will take “as many days as it will take” and he’s been clear that his ambition is not just to destroy Iran's ability to make a nuclear weapon; he also wants to bring down the regime.

The Iranian regime is going to see this as a battle for survival - this is something they have also been preparing for.

They will throw everything they have at this war.

Their attacks so far have been limited. The Israeli intelligence assessment seems to be that despite the damage to Iran's arsenal after the last 20 months of war in the region, Iran still has about 2,000 ballistic missiles and a capacity to produce more.

They’re now using them to hit strategic targets which are in or near populated centres.

In Tel Aviv, for example, they seem to be aiming at the defence ministry and other military sites but they are landing short and hitting residential areas. Either deliberately or accidentally there is a risk of mass casualties - in both Israel and Iran.

But Iran does not want to draw in America directly - Iran's Supreme Leader knows that militarily and politically Iran cannot win. But as this war escalates, Iranian military officials are now warning of attacks against U.S. bases in the region.

They had always believed their bulwark against the kind of war has been one American president after another saying to Netanyahu: "No, you cannot attack Iran's nuclear facilities, we will try to find a diplomatic way out of it - that is simply too dangerous an option".

President Trump says he did not give a green light - but even if it was just amber, this war has been unleashed, with no clear sign as to how and when it will end.

Lebanon has reopened its airspace as of 10:00 local time (08:00 BST).

The announcement, which came from the ministry of public works and transport, emphasises the decision to close the airspace had been made for necessary security reasons.

A little earlier, we reported Jordan had also reopened its airspace.

There has been no update from Israel's Ministry of Transport since yesterday, when it announced Israel's airspace would be closed "until further notice".

Iranian state media outlet IRNA has also said that no flights will operate in the country "until further notice".

Flight tracking website Flightradar24 currently shows no planes in the sky over a significant swathe of the Middle East.

Image source, flightradar24

Earlier this morning, we reported on two confirmed deaths in Israel. Israeli media and politicians now say that number is three.

The leader of the opposition party in Israel has expressed condolences for the deaths of the three Israeli citizens.

"It was a difficult night for the State of Israel," Yair Lapid writes, as he calls for people to follow instructions from the Home Front Command.

"We are a strong people with a strong army."

The IDF has said the country's air force is ready to resume striking targets in Iran.

A little earlier, IDF Chief of Staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir and Israeli Air Force chief Maj Gen Tomer Bar gave a t situational assessment. They say "the way to Iran has been paved".

“According to the plans, air force fighter jets will begin to carry out strikes on targets in Tehran,” they add.

An update a little earlier from the Israeli military says that the country's air force hit "dozens" of targets in Tehran overnight, including surface-to-air missile infrastructure.

Maj Gen Tomer Bar says in a statement that the strikes had "operational and national significance".

Strategic sites were damaged, he adds.

Jack Fenwick
Political correspondent

The UK's Foreign Secretary David Lammy is expected to have calls with further counterparts in the Middle East today, after he held talks with representatives from Iran, Jordan and Saudi Arabia yesterday.

Lammy also had a t meeting with the foreign ministers of , and Italy, as well as the EU’s foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas.

He is currently being briefed by Whitehall officials on the overnight developments in the Middle East.

No ministerial-level Cobra meeting is expected today, but officials from multiple government departments will be meeting to discuss the latest this morning.

It’s understood that French officials informed the UK government last night that the UN summit on a two-state solution had been postponed.

James Landale
Diplomatic correspondent

Image source, EPA

For now the fighting between Israel and Iran seems restricted to the two nations. But what if calls to de-escalate fall on deaf ears? What if the fighting escalates and expands?

Here are just a few possible, worst-case scenarios:

America gets dragged in

For all the US denials, Iran clearly believes American forces endorsed and at least tacitly ed Israel's attacks.

Iran could strike US targets across the Middle East – such as special forces camps in Iraq, military bases in the Gulf, and diplomatic missions in the region. Iran's proxy forces - Hamas and Hezbollah - may be much diminished but its ive militias in Iraq remain armed and intact.

Gulf nations gets dragged in

If Iran failed to damage Israel's well-protected military and other targets, then it could always aim its missiles at softer targets in the Gulf, especially countries that Iran believes aided and abetted its enemies over the years.

But these countries play host to US airbases. If the Gulf were attacked, then it too might demand American warplanes come to its defence as well as Israel's.

Iran's regime falls, leaving a vacuum

What if Israel succeeded in its long term aim of forcing the collapse of the Islamic revolutionary regime in Iran?

He made clear in his statement yesterday that his broader aim involves regime change. Bringing down Iran's government might appeal to some in the region, especially some Israelis. But what vacuum might it leave?

You can read more about other possible scenarios that could play out as this war progresses.

We are seeing reports now via Iran's state-run Fars news agency that Iran's strikes "will continue" and will not conclude with Friday night's strikes. The agency cites an unnamed official.

The official, who was referencing comments made by senior military commanders, says that Iran will also target US bases in the region in the coming days.

This could be the start of a prolonged military campaignpublished at 07:52 British Summer Time

07:52 BST

Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem

Loud explosions were heard here in Jerusalem, as air defence systems were activated as Iran launched another wave of attacks before dawn.

Yesterday, as Israeli officials described the operation against Iran as successful, they also indicated that the strikes were the beginning of what could be a prolonged campaign, warning the public that large Iranian attacks were expected.

Israel says the goal is to damage Iran’s nuclear programme. Officials believe that Iran is in a weak position – its air defences had been degraded in air strikes last year and its proxies in the region, particularly Hezbollah in Lebanon, have been severely damaged – and have said that, in their view, there was a window of opportunity to act.

But the scale of the attacks could suggest another objective: to topple the regime. Last night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a video message, making a direct appeal to the Iranian people and urging them to rise up against their leaders.

"The objective of Israel's military operation is to remove both the nuclear threat and the ballistic missile threat to Israel,” he said. “And as we achieve our objectives, we are also clearing the path for you to achieve your objective, which is freedom."

This will probably be one of the main concerns of the Iranian leadership, as their main priority has always been to guarantee the regime survival. They are now under a lot of pressure, and it is unclear whether the attacks will lead to domestic instability, or an anti-regime movement.

Image source, Reuters

Iran has launched a wave of retaliatory strikes in response to Israel's attacks on its nuclear facilities and missile sites.

Two people have died in the strikes, according to Israeli emergency services. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) says it continues to strike Iran.

Here's what else to know:

• Dozens of people are injured, Israel's emergency service Magen David Adom says, after rocket strikes on the central Coastal Plain region
• Our correspondents report hearing explosions in central Israel overnight as millions sought shelter while sirens rang out
• Israel is continuing air strikes on Iran after an initial wave of strikes killed six nuclear scientists and top Iranian commanders
• Iran's representative to the UN says the Iranian death toll from the recent Israeli strikes was 78, with more than 320 injured - he adds the "overwhelming majority" are civilians
• Calls for both sides to show restraint have continued - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says: "Enough escalation. Time to stop"

The IDF says a number of UAVs have been intercepted by the Israeli air force following sirens around the areas of the West Bank and the Dead Sea.

The sirens had sounded shortly after 08:00 local time (06:00 BST).

We're continuing to monitor activity from each side and will bring you the updates as we receive them.

We've just brought you reports that Jordan has reopened its airspace - yesterday, Israel's Ministry of Transportation said the country's airspace would be "closed until further notice".

That included the Ben Gurion Airport, which has said it is closed for all incoming or outgoing flights until further notice.

The airport's website appears to be down this morning.

The Ministry said yesterday that engers looking to travel would receive information in the media "at least six hours before the airspace reopens".

At least two people have died following Iran's retaliatory strikes on Israel.

Earlier, we reported that 21 people were injured in Israel's Coastal Plains region, according to Israeli emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA)

A woman in her 60s was rescued unconscious and without vital signs, and a man aged about 45 was pronounced dead after being evacuated, MDA says.

Jordan has reopened its airspace at 07:30 local time (04:30 GMT), the country's civil aviation commission says.

It comes a day after flights were suspended in the country amid the rising tensions between Israel and Iran.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says it is continuing airstrikes on targets in Iran.

In a brief statement posted to Telegram, the IDF said that "the [Israeli Air Force] continues to strike targets to remove threats in Iran".

The comments were posted alongside a video showing footage of aerial strikes.

It comes more than 24 hours after Israel's initial strike on Iran's military bases, which killed three Iranian military commanders, according to the IDF.

Iran has since launched missile strikes on Israel into Saturday morning.

The sun has risen in Israel, and we are now receiving images of the aftermath of Iran's overnight retaliatory strikes.

These photos were taken this morning in Rishon LeZion, a city located on the central coastal plain, south of Tel Aviv.

Image source, ABIR SULTAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Image source, Reuters

Image source, REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Image source, ABIR SULTAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Image source, @Mdais via X

Twenty-one people who were injured in Iran's rocket strikes against Israel's central Coastal Plain region earlier have been evacuated, says Israel's emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA).

In a recent post on X, the MDA said one of the injured was in a critical condition, several were seriously injured, and others were in a mild to moderate condition.

AI-generated video of Iranian strikes widely shared onlinepublished at 04:49 British Summer Time

04:49 BST

By Shayan Sardarizadeh

Online s have been sharing a fake video which purports to show a huge explosion in an Israeli city following an Iranian missile strike.

In the clip, a resident in a tower block films the impact of a missile strike, which results in a huge fireball and a mushroom cloud.

BBC tracked down the original version of this clip, which was posted to TikTok in April and clearly marked by the er as AI-generated.

We can also establish inconsistencies consistent with AI footage in the clip, including the fireball and the cloud becoming smaller and then growing bigger at least twice during the blast.

Also, footage of the explosion being filmed on a smartphone in the foreground of the video does not correlate with the supposed live strike seen in the background.

While this clip is fake, waves of Iranian missile attacks have targeted Israel since the latter launched a major attack on its arch regional rival.

Image source, X