As the head of the secretive Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami, was one of the most powerful men in Iran, overseeing its most potent military arm and reporting directly to its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Hossein Salami, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in Israel's strikes early on Friday, the most senior Iranian leader to die in the attacks. Salami, who was 65,

Iran has limited options to respond directly. The danger, however, is that Israel has opened a Pandora’s box: the worst Iranian response might also be the most likely, a decision to withdraw from its arms control commitments and build nuclear weapons in earnest.

Just hours before Israel launched strikes on Iran early Friday, President Donald Trump was still holding onto hope that the long-simmering dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program could be resolved without military action.

Explosions reported in capital Tehran as Israeli Defence Minister announces "pre-emptive strikes" and announces state of emergency

President Donald Trump warned Thursday of the possibility of “massive conflict” in the Middle East that could take place “soon.”

By Crispian Balmer, Parisa Hafezi and Hereward Holland JERUSALEM/DUBAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Israel launched widescale strikes against Iran on Friday, saying it targeted nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders and that this was start of a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon.