Live: Israel ramps up strikes on Gaza after Iran attack

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to flee Lebanon for Iran days before he was assassinated by Israel, Reuters reported.

The warning came as a result of Iranian intelligence which detected an Israeli plan to kill Nasrallah, using spies inside Hezbollah.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commander, Brigadier General Abbas Nilforousha, was the messenger Khamenei sent to warn Nasrallah, according to Reuters. He was killed in the same strike.

Khamenei now believes Israel has infiltrated the Islamic government’s senior ranks.

US President Joe Biden said he does not support an attack on Iran's nuclear sites in retaliation for its attack on Israel. 

Biden is expected to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. 

On Wednesday Biden also spoke with G7 world leaders and coordinated new sanctions against Iran. 

“Biden and the G7 unequivocally condemned Iran’s attack against Israel. President Biden expressed the United States’ full solidarity and support to Israel and its people, and reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security,” the White House said in a readout of the call.

Israel's  ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon,  said Iran will “pay a heavy price” for its attack on Tuesday on Israel.

“This was a deliberate attempt to strike at the very heart of our society,” he told the UN Security Council.

China’s ambassador to the UN warned that the Middle East was on the verge of an “all-out war”, as he called on Israel to show restraint.

“We urge all parties, in particular Israel, to exercise restraint and refrain from any actions that could lead to further escalation of the situation,” Fu Cong, China’s ambassador to the UN, said.

“We share the position of the United Nations that any Israeli crossing into Lebanon violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon,” he added.

Hamas's armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the attack on Jaffa that left seven people dead on Tuesday. 

It said that the gunmen, Mohammad Mesek and Ahmed Himouni from Hebron, were members of the group. 

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister has reaffirmed that the kingdom will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel before the establishment of the State of Palestine, according to Al-Arabiya news. 

At least three people have been killed by an Israeli strike on the Syrian capital of Damascus, according to state media. 

Israel has been striking Damascus for months. 

The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said Iran's attack on Israel was in solidarity with Hezbollah, and that the Islamic Republic was not acting in self-defence. 

"The IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) was not protecting Iran from threats from another member state," she said. "Instead, the IRGC was acting in solidarity with Hezbollah after the killing of Nasrallah, who led a terrorist group that has the blood of thousands of Americans, Lebanese, and Israelis on its hands," she said, referring to the killed Hezbollah chief, Hassan Nasrallah. 

Greenfield added that the attack was "an escalation" and not "defensive”. 

Hezbollah said it destroyed three Israeli tanks on Wednesday with rockets as they advanced towards a Lebanese border village. 

The group said it hit the Merkava tanks as they headed towards the village of Maroun al-Ras. 

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said 1.2 million people have been displaced by Israel's invasion and bombing of Lebanon.  

"We are trying to cope with these problems, but to tell you the truth, security-wise, the most important thing now is to arrange for them shelter, food, and how we can manage these displaced peoples," Mikati said at an event hosted by the American Task Force On Lebanon. 

The Israeli army has said in a statement that seven of its soldiers were killed in combat in Lebanon.

Earlier today, the military announced the death of the first soldier to be killed since the launch of its ground invasion of Lebanon.

Jordanian authorities faced a deluge of criticism on Wednesday after the government confirmed that its forces downed Iranian missiles targeting Israel the night before.

Iran fired at least 180 missiles at Israel late on Tuesday, with missiles lighting up the night skies above Tel Aviv and Jerusalem before the deafening sound of large explosions rang out.

Videos seen by Middle East Eye showed missiles striking several parts of Israel, with one appearing to explode in the vicinity of the Mossad headquarters on the northern outskirts of Tel Aviv. It was unclear if there was any damage to the facility.

A number of impact sites were also identified across central Israel, but Israel's military censor, as a matter of policy, has barred local and international media outlets from publishing the details of the exact locations targeted.

In a statement late on Tuesday, Jordan's Public Security Directorate confirmed that its air defences intercepted missiles and drones heading for Israel.

Read more: Jordanian authorities face backlash over role in downing Iranian missiles

Iran's ballistic missile attack on Tuesday was unprecedented. At least 180 were launched at Israel, with many apparently managing to penetrate the country's much-touted Iron Dome defence system.

Iran said the operation was solely aimed at military facilities and was a response to Israeli killings of key Iranian allies in the region.

"Our action is concluded unless the Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation. In that scenario, our response will be stronger and more powerful," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on social media early on Wednesday.

Iran has developed a highly sophisticated arsenal that reportedly includes hypersonic missiles that travel too fast for some of Israel's basic defences.

Middle East Eye takes a look at what Iran used:

Read more: What missiles did Iran use to target Israel?

UN chief Antonio Guterres has said that Unifil peacekeepers will remain in Lebanon, despite a request by Israel for their relocation, adding that their safety and security must be ensured.

Guterres condemned Iran's attack on Israel, telling the UN Security Council that the "deadly tit-for-tat violence must stop," and warning that "time is running out."

Earlier today, Israel banned Guterres from entering the country, with Foreign Minister Israel Katz declaring him a '"persona non grata."

The Palestinian from Gaza who was killed by falling debris from an intercepted Iranian missile in the occupied West Bank city of Jericho was buried today.

The funeral of Samer Khader al-Asali, 38, drew a crowd of some 200 mourners.

Asali was among about 700 workers from Gaza who have been staying in Jericho since Israel's war on Gaza began in October.

Reporting by Reuters