By Crispian Balmer JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Iran once ridiculed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the boy who cried wolf for his constant public warnings about Tehran's nuclear programme, and his repeated threats to shut it down,

Shortly before sunrise in Iran on Friday, Israel launched the first strikes of its operation against the regime’s nuclear program.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has urged de-escalation following Israeli strikes targeting nuclear and military sites in Iran. He spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday afternoon and shared the UK's "grave concerns" about Iran's nuclear programme,

Israel launched Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities in the early hours of Friday morning, and Newsweek maps show where airstrikes took place. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks were "a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival.

Israeli Prime Minister announced "Operation Rising Lion," a set of strikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets overnight: ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion,