Siren sounded periodically into the night and incoming missiles were seen dropping from the sky over central Israel in the early hours of Wednesday (March 11) before they were intercepted by the Israeli defence system.

The U.S. and Israel traded air strikes with Iran's military across the Middle East as the besieged Tehran government warned its state security forces were ready with "fingers on the trigger" to confront any revival of anti-government protests.

Following an exchange of some of the heaviest bombardments in the region yet on Tuesday, the combatants renewed their attacks on opposing targets in Israel, Lebanon and the Gulf early on Wednesday as the war stretched into its 12th day.

Production: Yosri Aljamal, Juarawee Kittisilpa/Reuters