Most of those confirmed dead were women and children, according to the authorities, although they have yet to publicly name the victims.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Sunday that any attack against the U.S. will be met with the "full strength and might" of the U.S. military.

The death toll is rising as Israel and Iran traded missile strikes for a third straight day. Israel on Sunday hit targets in Tehran, including the Defense Ministry and sites it claims are tied to Iran’s nuclear program.

Israel and Iran bombarded each other for a third day, with international concern growing that the conflict will spread across one of the world’s key oil-producing regions.

The push to do a deal on the country’s nuclear program could be revived, even after the Israeli strikes scuppered the latest round of talks.

Israel’s military said it shot down 20 drones en route to Israel on Sunday. It comes after it reported striking 80 targets in Iran overnight, including the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense and the headquarters of the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research,

Following Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, oil prices spiked to nearly $130 a barrel, contributing to higher prices for UK shoppers on everything from transport to food. However the cost of a barrel of oil, currently around $75, is still lower than it was in January.

Iran sponsored Hizbullah because it wanted Hizbullah to fight the Israelis,” says Meir Javedanfar, an Iran expert, rather than Iran having to. “That would have been completely reversing and putting the whole subcontracting model on its head.