Russia has maintained a delicate balancing act in the Middle East for decades, trying to navigate its warm relations with Israel even as it has developed strong economic and military ties with Iran.

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

Iran launched multiple deadly waves of missiles and drones toward Israel into Saturday morning following Israel’s unprecedented strikes aimed at destroying Iran’s nuclear program and decapitating its military leadership.

By the time Israel’s advanced F-35 jet fighters swooped in to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leadership, a lower-tech threat had already crossed the border and was in position to clear the way.

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.

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.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said Israel’s goal in its attack on Iran was to eliminate a dual threat–not just Iran’s nuclear program but also ballistic missiles. There is a major threat from Iran’s ballistic missiles,