Israel's attack on Iran raises questions like whether the US will get involved, how Iran will respond, and if a wider conflict may be triggered.

Israel’s attack on Iran was long in the making – the result of years of meticulous planning by Israel and days of high-stakes talks between Tel Aviv and Washington, officials told CNN.

In remarks before the UN Security Council, Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani claimed that 78 people had been killed in Israeli attacks across Iran -- using the term "martyred" -- and that another 320 had been injured.

The sweeping attacks by Israel, which began early Friday, have killed more than 70 people, including four of Iran’s top security chiefs, and damaged Iran’s main nuclear site at Natanz. Iran retaliated by launching scores of missiles at Israel. At least three people have been killed and dozens more wounded during these attacks.

Israel's PM says it struck Iran at the heart of its "weaponization programme", but Iran insists its nuclear facilities were peaceful.

U.S. stocks opened sharply lower and oil prices jumped after Israel launched airstrikes against Iran. Israel’s defense minister Israel Katz declared a special state of emergency following the attack.