Israel-Gaza updates: 22, including 18 children, reported dead in Rafah strikes

The IDF says it struck military targets of terrorist organizations in Gaza.

Israel launched a retaliatory strike against Iran early Friday morning local time, a senior U.S. official told ABC News.

The strike followed Iran's attack on Saturday, when Tehran sent a volley of more than 300 drones and missiles toward targets in Israel, according to Israeli military officials. All but a few were intercepted by Israel and its allies, including the United States, officials said.

Iran's weekend attack came more than six months after Hamas terrorists invaded Israel on Oct. 7, after which the Israeli military began its bombardment of Gaza.


What to know about Iran's attack on Israel

Israeli officials said the country's Iron Dome defense system endured a big test from Iran's attack on Saturday, intercepting 99% of the 300 "threats of various types" thrown at it.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari, launched 170 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more than 120 ballistic missiles and more than 30 cruise missiles in the attack.

Hagari said "99% of the threats launched towards Israeli territory were intercepted -- a very significant strategic achievement."

Hagari said the attack resulted in only one known Israeli casualty, a 7-year-old girl who was severely injured when she was struck by shrapnel apparently from an intercepted missile.


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Air raid sirens activate all over Israel, no reports of casualties

Israel's national emergency services -- the Magen David Adom -- said it has received no reports of casualties after air raid sirens activated all over Israel.

The MDA has received calls of "stress symptoms" and injuries that occurred while people were "running to the protected areas."

With Iranian missiles still heading to Israel, the IDF has told the public to stay alert.

When an alarm sounds, people "must enter shelter and wait there for no less than ten minutes," the IDF said early Sunday morning local time.

Israel's air defense continues to intercept threats, and Israel's Air Force has planes in the air "ready to counter any threat."

-ABC News' Will Gretsky


Iran warns US to 'STAY AWAY', saying attack is 'legitimate defense'

Iran's Permanent Mission to the United Nations says its attack on Israel was conducted as a "legitimate defense" in response to Israel's attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria.

"Conducted on the strength of Article 51 of the UN Charter pertaining to legitimate defense, Iran’s military action was in response to the Zionist regime’s aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus. The matter can be deemed concluded. However, should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe. It is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the U.S. MUST STAY AWAY!" Iran's permanent mission to the U.N. said in a statement.


IDF tells residents in occupied Golan Heights region to stay close to safe rooms

The Israel Defense Forces said it has told Israeli residents in the occupied Golan Heights region to stay close to their safe rooms, according to the IDF.

"In accordance with the situational assessment, residents of the northern Golan Heights, the area of Nevatim, Dimona, and Eilat are required to stay near protective spaces until further notice," the IDF said in a statement.

"Upon the activation of sirens, it is required to enter into a protected space. If there is no protected space, it is required to find the most protected area possible. In any case, it is required to wait ten minutes, and no less," the statement said.


US forces shot down some of the Iranian drones headed toward Israel

U.S. forces have shot down some of the Iranian drones headed towards Israel, a U.S. official confirmed to ABC News.

The U.S. has lots of capabilities in the region beyond what is in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez and Martha Raddatz


Biden calls for cease-fire 'now' to get aid into Gaza in Univision interview

President Joe Biden called for an immediate cease-fire to get food and aid into Gaza in an interview airing Tuesday night on Univision.

"So I what I'm calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a cease-fire, allow for the next six, eight weeks total access to all food and medicine going into the country," Biden said in the interview with Univision's Enrique Acevedo. "I've spoken with everyone from the Saudis to the Jordanians to the Egyptians. They're prepared to move in. They're prepared to move this food in. And I think there's no excuse to not provide for the medical and the food needs of those people. It should be done now."

Biden did not mention tying the cease-fire to a hostage deal, according to a transcript of the interview, which would be a shift for the administration. ABC News has reached out to the White House for comment.

Last week, officials pushed back on suggestions that they were separating calls for a cease-fire from hostage negotiations in their readout of Biden's call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Our conviction remains that we need to see an immediate cease-fire to enable the release of hostages but also to enable a dramatic surge in humanitarian assistance, as well as obviously better protecting civilians," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on April 4.

In the Univision interview, Biden also called Netanyahu's approach in Gaza "a mistake" when asked if he believed the prime minister was "more concerned about his political survival than he is in the national interest of his people" as calls for Netanyahu's resignation have increased following the strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen workers.

"Well, I will tell you, I think what he's doing is a mistake. I don't agree with his approach. I think it's outrageous that those four, three vehicles were hit by drones and taken out on a highway where it wasn't like it was along the shore, it wasn't like there was a convoy moving there, etc.," Biden said in the interview.

The hour-long interview, which is airing at 10 p.m. ET, was taped a day before Biden's call with Netanyahu on April 4.

-ABC News' Molly Nagle