The Israeli military said that its air force has struck a number of command centers of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It said that the command centers, which were in Tehran, were used to direct proxy groups to launch attacks against Israel.

Jonathan Conricus, a former IDF spokesperson, says Iran is "the weakest that I've ever seen it" after Israel's launch of Operation Rising Lion.

By Alexander Cornwell, Parisa Hafezi and Jeff Mason TEL AVIV/DUBAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Iranian missiles struck Israel's Tel Aviv and the port city of Haifa on Monday, destroying homes and fuelling concerns among world leaders at this week's G7 meeting that the battle between the two old enemies could lead to a broader regional conflict.

Iranian news media and residents of Tehran say the damage from the latest Israeli strikes appears to be significant, with several apartment buildings badly damaged. Residents say they are hearing ambulance sirens and fire trucks racing to the scenes and rescue workers are working to find casualties in the rubble.

Trump: Hope Israel and Iran reach ceasefire deal • Israel's air superiority may bring war's end sooner than expected • 16 Israelis killed, at least 390 wounded

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.

Experts have said it is likely that Iran is using the bulk of its ballistic missiles to “distract and saturate” air defences to create an opening for more advanced weapons. That missile appears to be the Shahed Haj Qassem, which was fired at Israel for the first time at the weekend.

Israel has targeted Iranian energy infrastructure, including the world’s largest gas field, South Pars, which Iran shares with Qatar. CNN’s Becky Anderson speaks with analyst Firas Maksad about how this escalation poses a significant threat to global energy security.

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah was long considered Iran’s first line of defense in case of a war with Israel.