The casualties were from strikes on four sites in central Israel, the MDA said in a statement, adding those killed included “two women and two men around the age of 70, as well as one additional fatality”.

“So far, MDA teams have evacuated 92 injured individuals to hospitals, including a 30-year-old woman in serious condition with facial injuries, six in moderate condition, and 85 in mild condition,” it added.

The MDA said search and rescue operations were ongoing at two of the four sites.

Iran unleashed a barrage of missile strikes on Israeli cities early today, after Israel struck military targets deep inside Iran, with both sides threatening further devastation.

Israeli defence minister Israel Katz had warned today that Tehran’s residents would “pay the price” for Iranian strikes on Israeli civilians.