Israel began pounding Iran on June 13, in a conflict that has the world holding its breath because of fears it could rapidly escalate and drag Britain and the US in.
The IDF's blistering aerial assault – codenamed 'Operation Rising Lion' – has targeted dozens of key nuclear sites, military bases and surface-to-air missile launchers. Oil and gas infrastructure have also been hit, as well as Iran's state news broadcaster, which was struck while live on air.
Among the eliminated are nuclear scientists and senior Iranian commanders, including the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – an elite wing of Tehran's military.
In a televised address to the nation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack was neccessary to 'roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival'. Iran was thought to be 'closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon'.
Iran immediately retaliated with drone strikes, before launching several waves of ballistic missiles aimed at Israeli cities such as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as part of its own 'Operation True Promise III'.
