Israel declares emergency over Iran retaliation

Israel has carried out dozens of airstrikes on Iran and has declared an emergency as it braces for retaliation.

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) said a "pre-emptive, precise, combined offensive based on high-quality intelligence" had been launched - called Operation "Rising Lion". "Dozens of IAF jets completed the first stage that included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran," it said in a statement.

Israel-Iran latest: Follow live updates Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack was to "roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival" and would last for "as many days as it takes to remove the threat". Mr Netanyahu said the strikes hit Iran's main nuclear enrichment site, the Natanz atomic facility, and targeted Iran's leading nuclear scientists.

The IDF also said three of Iran's most senior military commanders were killed: Hossein Salam, Gholam Ali Rashid and Mohammad Hossein Bagheri. Nuclear scientist Fereydoun Abbasi and theoretical physicist Dr Mohammed Mehdi Tehranchi were also reported to have died by Mehr News.

Iranian state media reported explosions northeast of capital Tehran early on Friday, and said buildings belonging to the armed forces were hit in the Mahalati complex north of the city. Iran's Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned of "severe punishment" and claimed residential areas had been targeted.

"In the enemy's attacks, a number of commanders and scientists were martyred. Their successors and colleagues will immediately continue their duties," said a statement reported by the Tasnim news agency.

Hours after the Israeli strikes, Iran launched more than 100 drones in retaliation, the IDF said. A second volley of more than 100 drones were launched shortly after that.

Israelis were woken in the early hours by air raid sirens and a phone alert warning there could be "severe retaliation.