JERUSLAEM

Air raid sirens sounded across wide areas of southern Israel on Sunday following a missile barrage from Iran, the Israeli army said.

A military statement said that missile launches were detected from Iran, triggering alarms in southern Negev, Dimona, and the Dead Sea region.

Channel 12 said air defenses intercepted missiles in southern Israel. No injuries were reported.

The barrage marked the fourth such launch from Iran toward Israel since midnight.

Hostilities in the region have escalated since Israel and the US launched joint attacks against Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.

*Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul.