IRAN launched at least 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday, the latest in a series of rapidly escalating attacks between Israel and Iran and its allies that leaves the Middle East on the brink of a region wide war.

Iran said that the barrage was in retaliation for a series of devastating blows Israel has landed in recent weeks against the resistance group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Hezbollah has been firing rockets into Israel since the war on the Palestinians in Gaza commenced last October.