Iran braces for a blitz

Tehran cancels flights as bombs batter Beirut | Hundreds more Brits to flee onslaught in Lebanon

- CHRIS HUGHES

IRAN cancelled all flights last night amid fears of a revenge missile blitz by Israel.

It came after Beirut suffered its worst night of intensive bombing during Israel's onslaught against Hezbollah, with at least 30 blasts rocking the Lebanese capital on Saturday.

Last night, Israel's war chiefs were finalising plans for the blitz on Iran after an Israeli strike on a mosque in Gaza killed at least 19.

It came as hundreds of Britons were due to join a last mercy flight out of Lebanon, leaving as many as 2000 UK nationals.

The Iran flights were cancelled due to operational restrictions, state media cited an Iranian spokesman as saying. No further details were provided.

It was reported that the restrictions were in place from 9pm last night through until 6am today.

Iran also implemented restrictions on flights last Tuesday when it launched missiles at Israel, which will today mark the first anniversary of the deadly Hamas attack on October 7.

The Middle East is bracing for a possible major escalation when Israel launches its revenge strikes on Iran, possibly on nuclear sites, gas installations and military targets.

A fireball lit up southern Beirut's skyline overnight on Saturday with targets including a petrol station on a main road leading to the international airport and a medical supplies warehouse.

A building formerly used by the Hezbollahrun broadcaster Al-Manar was also hit.