The Middle East is on the brink of a major conflict as approximately 200 rockets were fired at Israel from Iran this Tuesday (October 1).

Iran's forces let rip their new Fattah hypersonic missiles in an onslaught targeting big cities including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Only a handful of the Iranian missiles managed to pierce through Israel's Iron Dome defence, reports claim, with no casualties so far.

The barrage followed a series of strikes on key Iranian military leaders, leading figures in Hamas, and the chief of Hezbollah - Hassan Nasrallah. Tehran has pointed fingers at Israel for them.

READ MORE:Iran launches '100 missiles' at Israel after White House warning of 'imminent' attack

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Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's PM, has sworn to hit back hard after the strike, asserting: "Iran made a big mistake tonight and it will pay for it. The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies ... They will understand," reports the Express.

Adding to concerns of an all-out regional war, Israel's troops marched into Lebanon on Monday.

Despite decades of frosty rhetoric between Israel and Iran, a direct missile launch by Tehran at its Middle Eastern neighbour only came to the fore in April.

Stats gathered by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reveal the stark contrast in military might of the two nations.

Iran's military boasts a whopping 587,000 active military personnel - including 150,000 ground forces members, 37,000 air forces members and 18,000 navy members. This figure also encompasses members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with over 190,000 troops.

Iran can also rely on the backing of proxy armies it financially and militarily supports, such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

In contrast, Israel has a total of 169,500 military personnel - including 126,000 ground forces members, 34,000 air forces members and 9,500 navy members.

When it comes to main battle tanks, Iran outnumbers Israel with 4,070 vehicles compared to Israel's 2,200. The Tehran regime also possesses more armoured vehicles than Israel. This difference is reported as far starker in favour of Iran by The Military Balance 2023, as per Al Jazeera.

However, in the skies, Israel takes the lead with more combat aircraft - 339, including 50 F-35s, against Iran's 334.

At sea, Iran has more submarines and frigates than Israel - with Tehran boasting 101 warships including 19 submarines, compared to Israel's 67 warships, five of which are submarines.

Lastly, Iran proudly claims more than 3,000 ballistic missiles, while Israel is thought to have around 90 Jerico III intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Despite Iran having more manpower, missiles and tanks than Jerusalem, experts highlight that a significant advantage for Israel lies in its technological advancement and the support it receives from Western powers like the US.

Salam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, didn't mince his words when he spoke to CNN, declaring: "Iran is trying to throw down some red lines, knowing full well that it is in a defensive position, that Hezbollah is compromised, and that it doesn't have the traditional conventional capabilities to fight Israel."

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