World awaits Iran's response to US strikes as Israel ramps up attacks | 5 key facts

Israel-Iran war updates: The Israeli military has also warned Iranians of strikes on military targets around Tehran in the “coming days”.

Tensions continue to soar in the Middle East region as Israel and Iran traded heavy fire on Monday, with US officials reportedly warning of possible Iranian retaliation in a day or two to the weekend strikes targeting nuclear facilities.

Reportedly, there is 'imminent threat' of Iranian air strikes on the United States' base in Qatar. (AFP)

Two US officials told Reuters that the US has assessed that Iran could retaliate against the American forces in the Middle East as soon as the next day or two. They also noted that Washington is still seeking a diplomatic resolution. Follow Iran Israel war news live updates

Israel on Monday once again hit Iran's Fordow nuclear site, saying that the attack was aimed at obstructing the access routes to the facility. Airstrikes also hit Tehran's notorious Evin prison, with Iran's judiciary confirming the attack and clarifying that the situation was under control.

Meanwhile, Qatar closed its airspace on Monday, citing heightened threats of Iranian retaliation against the US over the American strikes that hit Iran's nuclear sites this weekend.

Israel-Iran war | Top updates

1. US 'still interested' in diplomacy: US President Donald Trump, while slamming the Iranian regime as an "incredibly violent" one, expressed continued interest in diplomacy. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News, “If the Iranian regime refuses to come to a peaceful diplomatic solution, which the president is still interested and engaging in, by the way, why shouldn't the Iranian people take away the power of this incredibly violent regime that has been suppressing them for decades?”
2. Israel hits Iran Guards, Evin Prison: The Israeli military said on Monday that it struck the bases of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, including the headquarters in Tehran. It also hit the notorious Evin Prison in the Iranian capital, an attack which was also confirmed by Iran's judiciary. The prison reportedly sustained some damage, but the situation was said to be "under control".
3. Iran-Russia's 'unbreakable' ties: Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and expressed gratitude for the support against the Israeli and US attacks. Putin said that the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities were an "absolutely unprovoked aggression", adding that Russia was making efforts to help the Iranian people. Meanwhile, Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov refused to provide any details of the nation's cooperation with Iran, and said that Moscow-Iran's strategic partnership is "unbreakable".
4. Israel warns Khamenei, says attacks will continue: The Israeli defence ministry warned Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that for every attack on Israel's home front, the dictator will be "severely punished". The ministry said that Israeli attacks will continue on Iran with "full force". Meanwhile, the Israeli military also warned Iranians that it will continue strikes on military sites around Tehran "over the coming days". The warning read, "We ask you to stay away from weapons production centers, military bases and security institutions affiliated with the regime.”
5. 'Very significant damage' likely at Fordow nuke site: The head of the UN nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, warned of the possibility of "very significant damage" at Iran's underground nuclear facility at Fordow following the US strikes. He said, "Given the explosive payload utilised and the extreme vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges, very significant damage is to have occurred is expected to have occurred”. Grossi added that the IAEA is seeking access to Iranian nuclear sites to 'account for' highly enriched uranium stockpiles.