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.
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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.
US official confirms Iran's retaliatory strike has begun
A U.S. official has confirmed Israel's announcement that Iran’s retaliatory strike has begun.
President Joe Biden will meet with principals of the National Security Council to discuss events in the Middle East Saturday afternoon. The meeting will take place in the White House Situation Room, the White House confirmed.
"Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel. President Biden is being regularly updated on the situation by his national security team," the White House said in a statement.
"This attack is likely to unfold over a number of hours. President Biden has been clear: our support for Israel's security is ironclad. The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran," it added.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez and Mary Bruce
Israel says Iran fired dozens of drones
Iran has launched dozens of drones toward Israel, but it could take hours for them to reach, according to Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari.
Israel is closing down its airspace after midnight local time and Israel's defense systems are deployed, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"We are prepared for any scenario, both in defense and attack," Netanyahu said in a video statement.
"The IDF is on high alert and is constantly monitoring the operational situation. The IDF Aerial Defense Array is on high alert, along with IAF fighter jets and Israeli Navy vessels that are on a defense mission in Israeli airspace. The IDF is monitoring all targets," the IDF said in a statement.
"We ask the public to adhere to and follow the instructions of the Home Front Command and the official IDF announcements regarding the matter," the statement added.
Jordan temporarily closes its airspace to all incoming, departing, transiting aircrafts
Starting Saturday night, the Jordanian airspace will be temporarily closed to all incoming, departing and transiting aircraft, Jordan's Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority said in a statement.
Hamas ready for 'serious and real' swap deal, group says in response to Israeli proposal
Hamas says it has handed Egyptian and Qatari mediators its response to an Israeli proposal it received at talks in Cairo last week, while reiterating its key demands of a permanent cease-fire, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of displaced people to their areas and places of residence and intensifying the entry of relief and aid.
"We also confirm our readiness to enter a serious and real prisoner exchange deal between the two parties," Hamas said in a statement.
-ABC News' Edward Szekeres
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