Why has Israel attacked Iran? | BBC News

Israel launched strikes across Iran on Friday, saying they targeted the "heart" of Iran's nuclear programme.

The strikes killed Hossein Salami, chief of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards - a powerful branch of the country's armed forces - other senior military figures and nuclear scientists, Iranian state media reported.

Civilians, including children, were also among those killed, state media reported.

The BBC is not able to independently verify these reports.

The Israeli military said Iran launched about 100 drones towards Israeli on Friday morning, with Israeli media reporting all the drones were intercepted. A state of emergency was declared in Israel.

The BBC's Security Correspondent Frank Gardner assesses why Israel decided to attack Iran, and what could happen next.