Most of those confirmed dead were women and children, according to the authorities, although they have yet to publicly name the victims.

Central Tel Aviv was impacted by ballistic missiles fired from Iran, video aired across Israeli news sites showed. Israeli paramedics said they were treating five injured people, one injured moderately and the other four injured lightly.

When the policemen came for Albert Ojwang - the Kenyan blogger whose death in custody sparked protests this week and prompted a rare acknowledgement of police brutality by the president - his wife initially thought he would be safe.