World leaders appealed for calm Friday after reported Israeli retaliation against Iran added to months of tense spillover from the war in Gaza, with Iranian state media reporting explosions in a central province

Explosions echoed over an Iranian city yesterday in what sources described as an Israeli attack, but Tehran played down the incident and indicated it had no plans for retaliation - a response that appeared gauged towards averting region-wide war.

The United States on Thursday effectively stopped the United Nations from recognising a Palestinian state by casting a veto in the Security Council to deny Palestinians full membership of the world body.

Iran’s first direct attack on Israel on April 13 has brought renewed focus on their air-defence capabilities as Israeli leaders decide how best to respond. Below is a look at both countries’ air forces and aerial defence systems:

The limited nature of Israel’s reported strike on Iran and the restrained immediate Iranian reaction shows both sides, in particular Tehran, are looking to de-escalate after weeks of tensions but the situation remains dangerously explosive, analysts say.

Explosions echoed over an Iranian city on Friday in what sources described as an Israeli attack, but Tehran played down the incident and indicated it had no plans for retaliation - a response that appeared gauged towards averting region-wide war.

The United States received advance notice of Israel's reported strike on Iran but did not endorse the operation or play any part in its execution, US media quoted officials as saying

Iran's state media reported explosions in central Isfahan Friday, as US media quoted officials saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes on its arch-rival

Israel launched more deadly strikes on besieged Gaza yesterday as Western governments unveiled sweeping sanctions against Iran’s military drone programme in response to the country’s unprecedented attack on its arch enemy Israel.

A storm hit the United Arab Emirates and Oman this week bringing record rainfall that flooded highways, inundated houses, grid-locked traffic and trapped people in their homes

Israel has clearly decided to retaliate against Iran for missile and drone attacks, Britain’s Foreign Minister David Cameron said during a visit to Jerusalem yesterday, the starkest warning yet of another volley coming in regional escalation.

Dubai’s giant highways were clogged by flooding and airport passengers were urged to stay away yesterday as the glitzy financial centre reeled from record rains.

Israeli air strikes hit a playground and busy market in Maghazi refugee camp. Another strike on Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood killed at least seven people and wounded 20 others.

Dubai's giant highways were clogged by flooding and airport passengers were urged to stay away on Wednesday as the glitzy financial centre reeled from record rains

The United States said Tuesday it would soon impose new sanctions on Iran's missile and drone programme after its weekend attack on Israel, and that it expects its allies and partners to follow with parallel measures

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said yesterday it had found unexploded 1,000-pound bombs inside schools after Israel pulled troops out of southern Gaza’s main city Khan Yunis.

Israel and Iran traded threats yesterday after Tehran’s first-ever direct attack on its arch-foe sharply heightened regional tensions.

Lebanon’s Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah claimed an attack on Israel using two explosive drones yesterday which Israeli local authorities said wounded three people.

The prospect of Israeli retaliation against Iran for its drone and missile attack on the weekend has alarmed many Iranians already facing economic pain and tighter social and political controls after protests in 2022-23.

Israel and Iran traded threats after Tehran's first ever direct attack on its arch foe sharply heightened Middle East tensions and as the Gaza war ground on with no truce in sight