It pushes a broiling Middle East – where slaughter has become a daily reality for so many – to the very edge of another regional bloody conflict.The deep concern here is that the war will play out on the ground of the countries neighbouring Israel and Iran rather than being another exchange of missile or drone attacks.

Israel launched a series of surprise attacks against Iran on Friday morning, hitting nuclear sites, missile facilities and air defenses and killing three top security officials.

The oil price surged by 13% in the hours after the first attacks.