The already volatile Middle East has plunged into a new and dangerous phase of conflict as Israel and Iran openly traded blows over the past two days

The two discussed Israel and Iran for 50 minutes, with Mr Putin pushing for Russia’s proposal to resolve concerns about Tehran’s nuclear program, according to a readout from Russian official Yuri Ushakov.

The official tells Reuters that over 150 targets in Iran have been attacked. Most drones and missiles that have been launched towards Israel have been intercepted, the official says. Iranian state media has reported that 60 people, including 20 children, have been killed in an Israeli strike on Friday on a residential building in Tehran.

Israel's military said early Sunday it had struck Iran's defence ministry headquarters, "nuclear weapons project" infrastructure sites and other targets, as the rival nations exchanged fire for a third day.

Israel launched its offensive against Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure on Friday. Iran has retaliated to the Israeli airstrike by firing scores of ballistic missiles on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA said hundreds of ballistic missiles had been launched in retaliation for Israel’s biggest ever attacks on Iran, blasting Iran’s huge underground nuclear site at Natanz an