ANALYSIS: The region, and Western nations, will be hoping to see tensions simmer down, writes Chris Stevenson – but given the leaders involved, that may br a forlorn hope

The Middle East moved closer to a long-feared regional war the day after Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel and Israel said it had begun limited ground incursions

Tehran said the attack is in retaliation for the killing of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.

Iran has closed the airspace over Tehran after it launched a barrage of missiles at Israel on Tuesday evening. Flights at the capital's airport have been cancelled until 10 am (0700 GMT) Wednesday, the ISNA news agency reported on Tuesday evening,

Iran lost its most reliable ally in the Middle East when an Israeli airstrike killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. But Iran isn’t leading the charge to retaliate.

Iran said early on Wednesday that its missile attack on Israel was finished barring further provocation, while Israel and the U.S. promised to retaliate against Tehran's escalation as fears of a wider war intensified.

The Israeli military said that regular infantry and armoured units were joining ground operations in southern Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate against Iran after it fired about 200 ballistic missiles at Israel in a severe escalation of hostilities between the adversaries that world powers fear could spiral into a Middle East-wide war.

Tehran launched a salvo of missiles on Tuesday against Israel in retaliation for the killing of several leaders of Iran-aligned armed groups.

Iran exercised "self-defence" against Israel and its action is concluded unless the "Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on social media platform X early on Wednesday.

Iran fired waves of ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday evening, the Israeli military said, an attack that sharply escalated the conflict between Israel and Iran and threatened to engulf the Middle East in all-out war.