Iran ‘entitled and obligated to defend itself’, foreign ministry saysIran is “entitled and obligated to defend itself against external aggressive acts”, its foreign ministry has said.Iranian media reported multiple explosions over several hours in Tehran, the capital, and at nearby military bases, starting shortly after 2am local time (2230 GMT on Friday).At least seven explosions were reported over Tehran and nearby Karaj, as well as in the eastern city of Mashhad. Official news agency IRNA reported that two soldiers were killed.Calling the Israeli attack a violation of international law, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday that Tehran “recognises its responsibilities towards regional peace and security”.Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan have all condemned the attacks, while the UK and US have warned against further escalation.ShareUpdated at 12.17 CESTKey eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureThe UN’s acting humanitarian chief Joyce Msuya has urged Israeli forces to stop what they are doing in northern Gaza, where the entire population “is at risk of dying”.It has been reported that efforts to clear north Gaza by way of effecting “the generals’ plan” are under way.This plan is designed to force the remaining population to flee by tightening the siege and cutting off aid. Experts say such tactics amount to war crimes.ShareUpdated at 16.43 CESTThe EU has called for “utmost restraint” after two Iranian solders were killed in retaliatory Israeli airstrikes.Israeli airstrikes which hit in Iran early on Saturday saw at least seven explosions reported in Tehran and nearby Karaj, as well as in the eastern city of Mashhad.The attacks were carried out in response to Iran launching a missile barrage on 1 October in which an estimated 180 ballistic missiles fired towards Tel Aviv and military bases.Iran’s foreign secretary has defended the country’s right “to defend itself against external aggressive acts”.On Saturday the EU called for all parties to exercise utmost restraint to avoid an “uncontrollable escalation” in the Middle East.
The dangerous cycle of attacks and retaliations risks causing a further expansion of the regional conflict,” the 27-nation bloc said in a statement.

While acknowledging Israel’s right to self-defence, the EU calls on all parties to exercise utmost restraint to avoid an uncontrollable escalation, which is in no one’s interest.
In calling for restraint the EU has echoed sentiments expressed by leaders across the world.ShareUpdated at 16.23 CESTHere are some photos of Tehran today after the Israeli strikes on military targets overnight.Daily life continues following Israel’s attack. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesA street vendor in Tehran. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesIranians at Tehran Bazaar. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/ReutersShareUpdated at 16.02 CESTIsraeli forces withdraw from northern Gaza’s last functioning hospitalReuters has reported that Israeli forces have withdrawn from a hospital complex in northern Gaza one day after storming it.On Friday Gaza’s health ministry accused Israeli forces of storming Kamal Adwan hospital in the Jabalia camp. The ministry also claimed that hundreds of staff, patients and displaced people were detained.Medics said at least 44 of the facility’s 70-member team of the hospital had been detained by the army. It later said the army had released 14 of them, including the hospital’s director.At least two children were also said to have died inside the intensive care unit after Israeli fire hit the generators and oxygen station in the facility on Friday.Footage circulated by the health ministry – which Reuters could not immediately verify – showed damage to several buildings after the Israeli forces withdrew.Military strikes on the towns of Jabalia, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza have so far killed around 800 people during a three-week offensive, the Gaza ministry added.ShareA Hamas militant has been killed in a raid in the West Bank, according to the Israeli military.In a joint statement shared by AFP, the Israeli military, police and domestic security agency Shin Bet said forces killed the militant during a “counterterrorism operation” being conducted in Tulkarem.The operation was intended to “eliminate Islam Odeh” who they accused of planning terror attacks. Odeh “opened fire at the security forces” during the operation. He was encircled and then killed, the statement said.“The forces located weaponry, including compounds used to produce IEDs, in his vehicle”, they added.Odeh had recently been “tasked with commanding the terrorist network in Tulkarem and had started to plan additional terror attacks”.ShareOur graphics team has produced this map of the Israeli airstrikes travelling to Iran in the early hours of Saturday morning:The direction of travel as airstrikes leave Israel and approach Tehran, IranShareUpdated at 15.26 CESTHezbollah has fired rockets at five residential areas in northern Israel.AFP reported that Hezbollah fired “rocket salvos” on five residential areas in northern Israel on Saturday, including the outskirts of Krayot near Haifa.The Israeli army had claimed that the Iran-backed group fired about 80 projectiles across the border.It was reported earlier on Saturday that Hezbollah has fired rockets at Israeli soldiers on the outskirts of Lebanon village Aita al-Shaab, alongside launching drones against an Israeli air base south of Tel Aviv.ShareAn Israeli strike on a medical centre in south Lebanon has killed a Hezbollah-linked rescuer.AFP has reported that the paramedic was killed on Saturday in a strike at a medical centre in Bazuriyeh. Five others, including three Hezbollah-linked paramedics, were wounded.Lebanon’s health ministry said that the raid took place on a medical centre in Bazuriyeh. This death means that 164 rescuers and paramedics have been killed since Hezbollah and Israel began trading cross-border fire last year.ShareAnalysis: Iran mocks Israel’s ‘weak’ attacks as hardliners call for reprisalPatrick WintourThere are two strands to the internal Iranian debate on how to respond to the long-awaited Israeli attack: treat it as a breach of Iranian national sovereignty too grave to ignore, or acknowledge the attack’s relatively limited nature and elect against launching reprisals.You can read a full analysis of the situation here:ShareUpdated at 15.20 CESTIn a statement on Saturday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Israel’s attack on their military targets and said they were entitled to defend themselves. .“On the basis of its inherent right to legitimate defense, stipulated in the Article 51 of the UN Charter, the Islamic Republic of Iran considers itself to be rightful and duty bound to defend against the foreign acts of aggression.”The Iranian news agency Tasnim reports that Iran will “employ all of the physical and spiritual capabilities of the Iranian nation to protect its interests and security.”Share