Death toll in Lebanon surpasses 100

At least 102 people in Lebanon have been killed since the onset of the latest conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group, Lebanon's health ministry said in a statement. At least 638 others were wounded, the ministry said Thursday. The latest conflict between the two sides was sparked by Hezbollah firing rockets into northern Israel early Sunday. Israel has been striking large swaths of the country in response. Chaos sown by Iran's attacks across Persian Gulf is key to its strategy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ For years, Iran's theocratic government warned it would blanket the Middle East with missile and drone fire if it felt its existence was threatened. Now, it's doing just that. Since the US and Israel launched the war Saturday, Iran has unleashed thousands of missiles and drones at Israel, American military bases and embassies, and energy facilities across the Gulf. Its basic strategy is to instill fear about the dangers of a widening war in hopes that allies of the US and Israel will apply enough pressure to halt their campaign. There is a risk, though, that the barrage-thy-neighbours strategy could backfire. There's also a grim math equation at play. Iran has a finite number of missiles and drones, just as the Gulf Arab states, the US and Israel all have a limited number of interceptor missiles capable of downing the incoming fire. Qatar says it was attacked by salvo of Iranian missiles, drones -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Gulf nation's defence ministry said 14 ballistic missiles and four drones were fired at the county. It said air defences intercepted all the drones and 13 of the missiles, while the 14th fell in the sea off Qatar. Iranian state television announced Thursday night that the salvo of missiles had been launched.