Iranian targets Netanyahu's office denies pact to avoid nuclear sites

Benjamin Netanyahu's office has said that Israel will decide alone on the form of any retaliation to Iran's barrage of 180 missiles fired at the country earlier this month, although it would listen to advice from Washington.

- Jason Burke

The comments came after US media reported that the Israeli prime minister had assured the US president, Joe Biden, that Israel would not attack sites associated with Iran's nuclear programme or oilfields before the US presidential election.

Yesterday, Israel continued to press its offensives in Lebanon and Gaza, with airstrikes in Gaza killing 50 Palestinians as Israeli forces fought Hamas and other militants in the north of the territory.

Tens of thousands of civilians have been trapped in the northern Gaza neighbourhood of Jabaliya by a new Israeli operation there. Most are suffering appalling conditions and rising casualties from Israeli shelling, bombs and missiles.

Israeli military officials accuse Hamas of using Palestinian civilians as human shields, a charge the militant Islamist organisation denies.

In Lebanon, Israel's military launched several strikes in eastern areas, a day after Netanyahu vowed to "mercilessly strike Hezbollah in all parts of Lebanon - including Beirut [the capital]".