Israel’s military is preparing a ‘significant retaliation’ to a shocking attack by Iran that saw nearly 200 ballistic missiles streak across the Middle East and rain down on Israel last night. 

The region is edging closer to all-out war that is already drawing in allies on both sides – with British jets used to counter Iran’s strikes, which were fired in retaliation to attacks on the Islamic Republic’s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon in recent days.

Reports suggest Israel, which has vowed to strike ‘powerfully’ in response to Iran, could go after the country’s oil facilities. Iran is the third biggest producer of crude oil in the OPEC group of oil-producing countries and is heavily reliant on its oil and gas exports to prop up its ailing economy amid years of sanctions.

Former Israeli Intelligence official and regional analyst Avi Melamed told MailOnline the Iranian strike was likely to ‘provoke a significant counterstrike’, warning that ‘Israel’s response this time will likely be broader and less restrained than it was in the wake of Iran’s unprecedented direct strike in April.’

But Iran’s armed forces joint chief of staff Gen. Mohammad Bagheri said this morning that the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) was prepared both defensively and offensively to repeat its missile attack with ‘multiplied intensity’, should Israel seek retribution.

‘If the Zionist regime, that has gone insane, is not contained by America and Europe and intends to continue such crimes or do anything against our sovereignty or territorial integrity, tonight’s operation will be repeated with much higher magnitude and we will hit all their infrastructure,’ he said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also declared that Tehran had warned the US ‘to withdraw from this matter and not to intervene’.

But the US has vowed to stand with its regional ally Israel, with national security adviser Jake Sullivan telling reporters at the White House: ‘We have made clear that there will be consequences, severe consequences, for this attack, and we will work with Israel to make that the case.’

Meanwhile, Israel’s ongoing military operations have continued uninterrupted – at least five airstrikes reportedly hit the southern suburbs of Beirut early this morning.

More than 1,000 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon since September 17, while hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes.

And Israeli strikes killed at least 32 people in southern Gaza overnight as the military launched ground operations in the hard-hit city of Khan Younis.

Israel has continued to strike what it says are militant targets across Gaza nearly a year after Hamas’ October 7 attack ignited the war, even as attention has shifted to Lebanon and growing tensions with Iran.

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