Israel vs Iran – Are they at war, what are they fighting about and what military powers do they have?
Here's what you need to know about the conflict between Israel and Iran
IT's feared the Middle East might be on the brink of another war as tensions alarmingly escalate between Israel and Iran.
From what they're fighting about to their military power, here's what you need to know about the conflict between the two nations.
Are Israel and Iran at war?
Neither Israel nor Iran have formally declared a war, but tensions between the two states have escalated significantly.
On April 30, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu made bombshell claims about Iran's nuclear weapons program in a prime-time televised address carried by Israeli networks.
He said: "Iran's leaders repeatedly deny ever pursuing nuclear weapons.
"Tonight I'm here to tell you one thing: Iran lied.
The leader spoke in English and showed pictures and videos claiming to be of secret Iranian nuclear complexes.
Outlining a damning 55,000 page dossier, Netanyahu said Iran was "brazenly lying" about its massive programme to develop atomic warheads and missiles to deliver them.
After signing the nuclear deal in 2015, he claimed Iran had actually intensified its efforts.
In 2017, he alleged Iran moved its nuclear weapons know-how to a highly secret spot in the capital Tehran.
But Iranian state TV rejected Netanyahu's presentation as "propaganda".
Just days later, on Tuesday May 8, Israeli missile strikes killed 15 people in Kisweh, south of Damascus, Syria.
On May 9, following President Trump's withdrawal of the US from the Iran nuclear deal over claims the state has continued to build its nuclear program, Iranian Quds Force fire "20 rockets" at Israel’s state line at Golan Heights.
But no one was injured in the strikes after Israel’s Iron Dome defence system intercepts the rockets, military chiefs claimed.
Israel's minister of defence Avigdor Lieberman then stoked fears of war between the two nations by warning: "If it rains in Israel it will pour in Iran."
On May 10, fighter jets from Tel Aviv blasted Iran's military bases, munitions warehouses and intelligence centres in Syria with 70 missiles killing "at least 23 fighters" in revenge for rocket strikes on the Golan Heights.
Five Syrian soldiers, including two officers, and 18 militia fighters were killed in the attack, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed.
Following a recent trip to Jerusalem, The Sun's political editor Tom Newton Dunne revealed how Israel is 'preparing for war'.
Israeli security cabinet minister Major General Yoav Gallant told him: "All these missiles are pointing at us, and they’re not carrying candy.
“If they fire them at us, we will send Hizbullah and the Iranians back to the Stone Age.
"It will take them 50 years to rebuild their countries.”
What are they fighting about?
Israel and Iran have had a tense relationship since the latter’s Islamic revolution of 1979.
Since then, Syria has been one of Iran’s key allies, and when Syrians began protesting the al-Assad government in 2011, there were reports that the Iranian government was assisting the regime to quell the protests.
In mid-2013, Iran sent 4,000 troops in to aid the al-Assad government forces, and from there, it continued to step up its support.
Israel, meanwhile, has remained relatively neutral in the conflict, and has mostly kept a low profile.
However, it has long held concerns about Iran’s influence in the region.
In February, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to take action against his adversaries, after Israeli intelligence claimed to have spotted an Iranian drone approaching Israel’s airspace from Syria.
He said his country would defend itself at all costs against Tehran, warning Israel’s policy of self-defence against "any attempt to harm our sovereignty" was "absolutely clear".
The following confrontation marked the most serious clash between Iran and Israel since Syria’s civil war began seven years ago.
Both countries are key figures in the region, and there are fears an open conflict between them will risk dragging neighbouring Lebanon and other surrounding countries into a new war.
While Israel has stayed out of the conflict between the Syrian rebels and government, Iran has set up bases in Syria sending fighters and advisers as well as setting up intelligence centres and air bases.
As the Syrian conflict winds down, and Assad appears to be headed toward victory, Israel fears that Iran, along with tens of thousands of Iranian-backed Shiite militiamen, will carry out attacks against it.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that his country would not let Iran create bases in Syria which could be used against Israel.
While Iran has strengthened its base in Syria, Israel has launched its strikes on Iranian targets.
What military powers do they have?
Iran has a military budget of $11bn, and a military manpower of 534,000.
Their airforce consists of fighter aircraft, helicopters, combat tanks and armoured fighting vehicles while the navy has submarines, patrol craft and mine warfare vessels.
Iran has eight different types of ballistic missiles in its armoury, ranging from a Shahab with a 190 mile range to a Khorramshahr with a 1,250 mile range.
Israel has a military budget of $20bn with a total military personnel of 615,000 and has a substantial armoury of fighter aircraft, attack helicopters, armoured fighting vehicles and combat tanks, as well as submarines and patrol crafts in the navy.
It's believed Israel has ballistic missiles ranging from the Gabriel missile with a range of 200km to the Jericho missile, which has a range of 4,800km.
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