Israel and Iran trade strikes for third day as nuclear talks called off

The region braced for a protracted conflict after Israel’s surprise bombardment of Iran’s nuclear and military sites on Friday killed several top generals and nuclear scientists

Israeli first responders work in a residential area near Tel Aviv, Israel, hit by a missile fired from Iran (Ariel Schalit/AP)

Israel has unleashed air strikes across Iran for a third day and threatened even greater force as some Iranian missiles evaded Israeli air defences to strike buildings in the heart of the country.

Planned talks on Iran’s nuclear programme, which could provide an off-ramp, were called off.