Time for Middle East attacks to end - Tánaiste

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has expressed his concern about bombing attacks by Israel on Tehran overnight, saying it is time these attacks and counter attacks by both countries stopped.

Israel struck military sites in Iran, saying it was retaliating against Tehran's missile attack on Israel this month, the latest clash in the escalating conflict between the heavily armed rivals.

Speaking in Cork, Mr Martin said that the region needs a rapid de-escalation of this activity in the interests of the people of the region itself and across the globe.

"It's absolutely necessary now for a ceasefire in Gaza and in Lebanon and the release of all hostages and a massive humanitarian surge into Gaza itself and into Lebanon," he said.

Mr Martin said he is extremely concerned with what is happening in northern Gaza.

The Tánaiste made reference to the description yesterday by a key UN official about what is happening there as a war atrocity and a crime against humanity.

Read more: What we know about the Israeli strikes on Iran

The World Health Organization said it has regained contact with staff at a besieged northern Gaza hospital, finding that three health workers had been injured and 44 detained.

"All of the feedback I’m getting from northern Gaza, from the independent international agencies I met earlier this week in Paris, is that collective punishment of the people of Gaza is underway, with vicious attacks people, and there will need to be accountability for what is happening in northern Gaza, and I would call on the international community to be allowed to go into Gaza to witness first-hand what is happening there," he said.

"It cannot go on, and it must stop.

"There is a real obligation on all the actors in the region to enable ceasefires to happen. That’s Israel, that’s Hezbollah, Hamas and Iran, because it’s the ordinary civilians in that region that are suffering and suffering to a terrible degree," he said.