JERUSALEM, Oct 26: Israel announced the launch of "precise strikes" on military targets in Iran on Saturday in retaliation for Iranian attacks, as an AFP journalist in Tehran reported hearing several explosions.

Israel had vowed to hit back at Iran for its October 1 missile strike, the second-ever direct attack by the Islamic republic on its arch-foe.

The rapid escalation of violence has heightened fears across the region and beyond of a wider war, pitting Israel against Iran and the allies it dubs the "axis of resistance" on multiple fronts.

Since the deadliest attack in its history on October 7, 2023, Israel has been fighting Hamas in Gaza, and since late last month, it has been at war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Both Hezbollah and Hamas are allies of Iran, as are armed groups in Yemen and Iraq and the government in Syria.

In a statement, the Israeli military said that it was conducting "precise strikes on military targets in Iran", in response to what it said were "months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran".

"The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7th -- on seven fronts -- including direct attacks from Iranian soil," the military said.

Iran in April launched its first-ever direct assault on Israeli territory in retaliation for a deadly strike on Iran's consular annex in Damascus.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant had said that Israel's retaliation for the October 1 strike would be "deadly, precise and surprising".