In Jerusalem, Israel's military chief, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, announced on Tuesday that Israel would respond 'very hard' to any Iranian retaliation following Israeli airstrikes over the weekend.

These comments came after Israeli jets struck Iranian military targets in response to an earlier missile attack from Tehran.

Iran had launched around 200 missiles targeting Israel, which it declared was a reprisal for the killing of several militant leaders allied to Tehran, including Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah.

While Iran confirmed the airstrikes hit military sites in Tehran and other regions with minimal damage, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei termed the attack a 'miscalculation' and warned against exaggerating or downplaying its implications.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of seeking nuclear capabilities aimed at his country, claiming Iran is developing long-range missiles for potential nuclear attacks.

The escalation reflects ongoing tensions with preceding missile exchanges, such as a similar incident in April.