The Israel Defense Forces said the air force had launched strikes against missile sites in central Iran, as the Middle East conflict entered a fourth day.

The Iranian and Israeli strikes mark the most sustained, direct attacks ever between the two rivals. Three people were killed in Israel and at least 78 in Iran, officials said.

Israel Defense Forces has achieved full freedom of operation in the air space around Iran's capital Tehran, the IDF announced on Saturday. Why it matters: Other than the military implications of being able to freely hit targets where Iran's main military command and control headquarters are located,