Israel, Iran urged to use restraint by world leaders, amid concerns of a regional war

Israel's pre-dawn airstrikes on military targets in Iran in retaliation for the barrage of ballistic missiles the Islamic republic fired on Israel earlier this month were met with mixed reactions both at home and abroad.

Explosions were heard in the Iranian capital, Tehran, though Iran insisted the strikes caused only "limited damage" and Iranian state-run media downplayed the attacks.

The strikes risk pushing the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of spiraling violence across the Middle East, where militant groups backed by Iran — including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon — are already at war with Israel.