DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel launched an expanded assault on Iran on Sunday, with direct strikes targeting its energy industry and Defense Ministry headquarters, while Tehran unleashed a fresh barrage of missiles blamed for the deaths of four people and injuries of many others.

A series of loud explosions are heard in central Israel as the military says it carried out intelligence-based strikes in Tehran.

Several people were killed when Iran fired a barrage of projectiles at Israel in retaliation for Israel's surprise attack on its foe’s nuclear facilities and military leadership. Follow along for live updates,

Russia has maintained a delicate balancing act in the Middle East for decades, trying to navigate its warm relations with Israel even as it has developed strong economic and military ties with Iran.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel presented Iran’s sophisticated ballistic missiles as a critical threat to Israel’s survival.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said Israel’s goal in its attack on Iran was to eliminate a dual threat–not just Iran’s nuclear program but also ballistic missiles. There is a major threat from Iran’s ballistic missiles,

While this clip is fake, waves of Iranian missile attacks have targeted Israel since the latter launched a major attack on its arch regional rival. Just before dawn, sirens sounded once again, sending millions of people in Israel to seek shelter as another barrage of missiles was launched against the country by Iran.

Under the Islamic Republic that took power in 1979, enmity toward Israel has been a core ideological tenet of Iranian foreign policy and a key driver in its regional policy. Over decades, their rivalry played out mainly through indirect actions by Iran and by covert operations from Israel.

Israel’s attack on Iran was long in the making – the result of years of meticulous planning by Israel and days of high-stakes talks between Tel Aviv and Washington, officials told CNN.

Israel's airstrikes have deepened a climate of fear within Iran, where there is a shortage of reliable information. A woman in Tehran said one of the worst things about the attacks is that they usually come without warning.