Israel-Iran latest news: Netanyahu vows revenge after Tehran launches around 200 missiles at Israel

The Israeli military said on Wednesday that regular infantry and armoured units were joining ground operations in southern Lebanon, but said they would remain limited and localised in scope.

Israel said on Tuesday that commando and paratroop units had crossed a short distance over the border in the first publicly announced ground operation in Lebanon.

It subsequently said that special forces units had been carrying out ground raids against Hezbollah targets across the border for months, during which it uncovered tunnels and weapon caches under homes.

The addition of infantry and armoured troops from the 36th Division, including the Golani Brigade, the 188th Armoured Brigade and 6th Infantry Brigade, suggests that the operation has moved beyond limited commando raids.

British forces “played their part” in attempts to prevent further violence in the Middle East, the Defence Secretary has confirmed, after Sir Keir Starmer said he stands with Israel following an attack on the country by Iran.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, John Healey said he “completely condemns Iran’s attack against Israel”.

“British forces have this evening played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East,” he added.

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Danish police said they were investigating two blasts in the vicinity of Israel’s embassy in Copenhagen today.

There were no injuries reported, police said in a statement.

All flights in Iran will remain cancelled until Thursday at 5am local time, the country’s Civil Aviation Organisation announced today, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Flights remain suspended a day after Tehran launched a massive missile strike at Israel and Netanyahu vowed to retaliate.

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran has warned the US against getting involved with Israel after its barrage of strikes in Tel Aviv.

US president Joe Biden has reaffirmed America’s support for Israel after the missile strikes, calling it “defeated and ineffective”.

“The Secretary (Austin) reaffirmed that the United States remains well postured to defend U.S. personnel, allies, and partners in the face of threats from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist organizations,” the Pentagon said in a statement after US defence secretary Lloyd Austin Austin’s call with Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant.

“The minister and I expressed mutual appreciation for the coordinated defence of Israel against nearly 200 ballistic missiles launched by Iran and committed to remain in close contact,” Mr Austin said separately in a post on X.

Hezbollah said it confronted Israeli forces infiltrating the Lebanese town of Adaisseh this morning, forcing them to retreat.

Israel has launched a ground invasion of Lebanon, what the Israeli military described as a “limited, localised and targeted” operation to target Hezbollah.

Israel has vowed revenge after Iran launched a wave of ballistic missiles across the country in a major escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

A salvo of around 200 ballistic missiles were fired by Tehran less than 24 hours after the Israeli military launched a ground operation against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Millions of people rushed into shelters while outside hundreds of flashes could be seen over the cities of Tel Aviv, Ashdod and Jerusalem as the Iron Dome system intercepted most of the rockets.

Senator JD Vance and Governor Tim Walz, the US vice presidential candidates, were asked about the escalating conflict in the Middle East during the early moments of Tuesday night’s debate.

The candidates were specifically asked if they would support Israel in a pre-emptive strike against Iran, though neither answered the question directly.

Walz, the Democratic candidate, said the “expansion of Israel and its proxies is an absolute fundamental necessity for the United States to have the steady leadership there.”

Based on the context of his sentence, it appears Walz mistakenly said “Isreal” when he meant “Iran.”

Vance also dodged the question, suggesting that Iran was on the brink of obtaining a nuclear weapon and insinuated that somehow Vice President Kamala Harris could have prevented that from happening.

“Who has been the vice-president for the last three and a half years?” Vance said. “The answer is your running mate, not mine.”