Iran fires at Israel after Netanyahu boasts of war gains

Iran launched multiple rounds of missiles towards Israel, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the Islamic republic has been "decimated" by war.

Israel's military said it had identified three rounds of missile fire in the hour and a half preceding midnight local time (10pm Irish time), and another a few hours later.

AFP reporters heard several loud blasts over Jerusalem as air raid sirens rang out across the city during one of the earlier attacks.

The Magen David Adom emergency services reported no casualties, but police said there was damage in several locations.

Israeli media said shrapnel hit the northern city of Haifa and an educational institution in its suburbs, causing damage but no casualties.

Earlier, media reports said an oil refinery in Haifa had been hit.

In a press conference yesterday evening, Mr Netanyahu said Israel and the United States were "winning" the war that began when the allies launched strikes on Iran.

"We are taking action to destroy the industries that make it possible to build missiles. Iran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium and manufacture ballistic missiles," the Israeli leader said.

"We are winning and Iran is being decimated," he added.

Mr Netanyahu also rejected the notion that he had dragged the US President Donald Trump into the conflict, implying that he was the junior partner in the joint assault on Iran.

Tánaiste calls for de-escalation

Tánaiste Simon Harris has said that the conflict in the Gulf and Middle East is 'deeply concerning' from a humanitarian and economic point of view.

Mr Harris added that Government intervention to assist people will be finalised ‘very shortly’.

"While I know the focus is currently on fuel costs and we will seek to assist in relation to that, every day this conflict continues I am ever more concerned about the broader economic impact on the global economy and the impact of that on Ireland.

"This war needs to urgently de-escalate. Failure to do this will present significant inflationary challenges. There will be further meetings of the Eurogroup next week and this will be an important opportunity to take stock also," he added.