(NewsNation) — Iran launched a direct military assault on Israel, firing over 200 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles on Saturday in response to an Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic facility.
The U.S. and Israel’s air defenses intercepted the majority of the incoming attacks, though one child has been wounded and the situation has sparked global condemnation and concerns about potential further escalation.
Iran launches drones and missiles targeting Israel
In a Saturday attack, Iran launched over 200 “killer drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles” toward Israel, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Iran fired 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles. Of those, several ballistic missiles reached Israeli territory, causing minor damage to an air base.
The attack marks the first time Iran has directly launched a military assault on Israel despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The Iranian attack was in response to an earlier Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic facility in Damascus, Syria, that killed 12 people, including two senior Iranian generals in the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force.
US forces assist in Israel’s defense
President Joe Biden lauded American forces who helped Israel down “nearly all” of the drones and missiles fired by Iran and vowed to coordinate a global response to Tehran’s unprecedented attack.
The White House says Biden spoke Sunday morning with members of the 494th and 335th Fighter Squadrons, and commended them for their “exceptional airmanship and skill in defending Israel.”
It was a story of failure and success, according to senior administration officials. They said Iran intended to cause significant damage and failed to do so, while Israel demonstrated its military superiority in coordination with its partners.
The officials said Biden monitored the events “real-time” from the White House situation room. There were no U.S. service personnel hurt, and no U.S. military facilities were damaged.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a statement said U.S. forces “remain postured to protect U.S. troops and partners in the region, provide further support for Israel’s defense, and enhance regional stability.”
But a U.S. official tells NewsNation the U.S. will not take part if any offensive action by Israel against Iran. “No reason for it to escalate into a wider war,” the official said.
Israel’s defensive response
An Israeli military spokesman said the launches numbered more than 300, but 99% of them were intercepted. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Iran fired 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles. Several ballistic missiles reached Israeli territory, causing minor damage to an air base.
NewsNation has confirmed a report that roughly half of the ballistic missiles Iran tried to fire Sunday failed to launch or crashed before reaching Israel.
U.S. officials say the U.S. engaged and destroyed as many a six ballistic missiles, and the “majority” of Iran’s missiles were engaged by Israel’s “Arrow” missile defense system.
One 10-year-old girl was wounded by shrapnel during the attack, but there were no other reported casualties.
Israel’s military said its Arrow system, which shoots down ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere, handled most interceptions and noted that “strategic partners” were involved.
Global reactions and diplomatic efforts
At a sudden Sunday afternoon meeting of the United Nations Security Council, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged calm on all sides.
“The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating, full scale conflict. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate. Now is the time for maximum restraint,” he said.
Iranian’s U.N. diplomats say Tehran now considers its retaliatory attack on Israel “concluded.” But a statement warned that, should Israel “make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe.” It also warned the U.S. to stay away from the conflict.
U.S. President Joe Biden met remotely with the other leaders of the G7 advanced industrial democracies, and the leaders issued a statement in which they “unequivocally condemn in the strongest terms Iran’s direct and unprecedented attack against Israel.”
“We express our full solidarity and support to Israel and its people and reaffirm our commitment towards its security. We will also strengthen our cooperation to end the crisis in Gaza, including by continuing to work towards an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas, and deliver increased humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in need,” the statement concluded.
The White House says Biden spoke by phone with Jordan’s King Abdullah II. The president noted that Iran’s attack also “threatened Jordan and the Jordanian people.” Both leaders said they continue to monitor the situation and will remain in close touch over the coming days.
Axios, citing three U.S. officials, is privately and publicly urging Israel not to rush into a massive retaliation. One official said there is a fear that the U.S., Israel and its allies may not be able to defend against another Iranian attack at the same level of Sunday’s defense. Israel has claimed that 99% of the incoming missiles and drones were intercepted.
Congress’ next moves
The White House says the president convened a call with the four top Congressional leaders to discuss the Iran attack. On the call, Biden discussed the need for the House to pass the national security supplemental spending bill as soon as possible.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson says he’ll push colleagues to approve aid for both Israel and Ukraine.
Johnson told Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” that he and Republicans “understand the necessity of standing with Israel” and he would try this week to advance the aid. “We’ll put something together and send it to the Senate and get these obligations complete,” he told Fox.
Johnson has delayed action for two months on a $95 billion supplemental package that would send support to the U.S. allies, provide humanitarian aid for civilians in Ukraine and Gaza and replenish U.S. weapons provided to Taiwan.
Currently, the only package with wide bipartisan support in Congress is the Senate-passed bill that includes roughly $60 billion for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby called on the Speaker to put that package “on the floor as soon as possible.”
On the Senate side of the Capitol, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said there was consensus “among all the leaders that we had to help Israel and help Ukraine, and now hopefully we can work that out and get this done next week.”
“It’s vital for the future of Ukraine, for Israel and the West,” Schumer said.
Background and previous attacks
During the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, there have been near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group along the Israel-Lebanon border. U.S. officials have recorded more than 150 attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on U.S. forces at bases in those countries since war started on Oct. 7.
One attack in late January killed three U.S. service members in Jordan. In retaliation, the U.S. launched a massive air assault, hitting more than 85 targets at seven locations in Iraq and Syria.
On Saturday, commandos from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard rappelled from a helicopter onto an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and seized the vessel.
Israel-Hamas war erupted after Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups backed by Iran, carried out a devastating cross-border attack on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others. An Israeli offensive in Gaza has caused widespread devastation and killed over 33,000 people, according to local health officials.
NewsNation’s Leland Vittert, Tom Palmer, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.