DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel launched an expanded assault on Iran on Sunday, with direct strikes targeting its energy industry and Defense Ministry headquarters, while Tehran unleashed a fresh barrage of missiles blamed for the deaths of four people and injuries of many others.

A series of loud explosions are heard in central Israel as the military says it carried out intelligence-based strikes in Tehran.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel presented Iran’s sophisticated ballistic missiles as a critical threat to Israel’s survival.

Israel’s attack on Iran was long in the making – the result of years of meticulous planning by Israel and days of high-stakes talks between Tel Aviv and Washington, officials told CNN.

Israel's airstrikes have deepened a climate of fear within Iran, where there is a shortage of reliable information. A woman in Tehran said one of the worst things about the attacks is that they usually come without warning.

At least three people were killed and scores were wounded during an aerial battle over Tel Aviv, as Iranian missiles rained down and Israeli rockets attempted to intercept them.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will sit down for an interview airing Sunday with Fox News anchor Bret Baier, his first since Israel's strikes on Iran.

The strikes are a sign of Israel’s shift away from restraint, containment and short wars, and toward using force to project power across the Middle East.