The Israeli air force has carried out a strike on Iran, according to US news site Axios, which cited two sources with knowledge of the operation.

Explosions were heard northeast of the capital Tehran early on Friday, reported Iran’s state-run Nour News.

Israel’s defence minister has announced a “special situation” in his country and said schools would stay shut on Friday.

Sky’s Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall said people in Israel were woken up in the early hours by air raid sirens and a phone alert warning there could be “severe retaliation”.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the latest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.