Israel said on Saturday it had struck military targets inside Iran in response to earlier Iranian attacks, again raising fears that the long-running confrontation between the two powerful militaries could escalate into an all-out regional war that draws in the United States.

Israel attacked Iran with three waves of air strikes early Saturday, saying it was in response to the recent missile strikes from Tehran. The attack, which Israel described as “precise and targeted”,

The Middle East has been on edge in anticipation of Israeli retaliation for Iran's attack, in which around 200 ballistic missiles were fired at Israel, Iran's second direct attack on Israel in six months.