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.
Child hit by shrapnel, IDF says
A 7-year-old girl injured in Iran's attack on Israel is reportedly the only casualty of the airstrikes, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces said Sunday.
The girl was "severely injured by shrapnel," apparently from an intercepted missile, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.
"We wish her a speedy recovery," Hagari said. "Other than her, as far as we know, there are no additional casualties."
Iran launched 300 "threats of various types" at Israel on Saturday, Hagari said, including 170 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more than 120 ballistic missiles and over 30 cruise missiles.
Hagari said 99% of the threats launched by Iran at Israel were intercepted by Israel's Aerial Defense Array and Israeli Air Force fighter jets, as well as "the aerial defense systems and aircraft of our partners." The "few" ballistic missiles that weren't intercepted fell at Nevatim Air Force Base, causing only minor damage, Hagari said, adding that the base remains operational.
(Editor’s note: Earlier, the IDF said the child was 10, but the hospital updated the information to confirm she is 7.)
-ABC News' Dana Savir
Kirby says it's up to Israel on how to respond to Iran's attack
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told ABC's "Good Morning America" Sunday that any response to Iran's Saturday night attack is up to Israeli forces.
But Kirby stressed that President Joe Biden does not want the situation to escalate or have the U.S. drawn further into any conflict.
When asked by ABC News' Whit Johnson about a response from Israel, Kirby said that it is up to the Israeli government to decide how to respond. He added that "the damage was extremely light," and the defenses in place proved Israel can defend itself.
"I won't speak for the Israelis. It's going to be up to them to decide whether and how they'll respond to this," Kirby said. "They showed last night, an incredible military capability on their own, but certainly in concert with friends."
When pressed about reports that Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the U.S. would oppose a counterattack on Iran, Kirby said it was "not an accurate reading" of the president's message. He emphasized that the White House does not "want to see the situation escalate further."
"The president understands the prime minister runs a government for a sovereign state of Israel, and that they'll decide whether and how they're going to respond to what Iran did last night," Kirby said.
Kirby reiterated the White House's message that the president will do "whatever he has to protect our troops and our facilities, our people in the region." He said there is no current threat to U.S. service members and facilities, noting that more U.S. forces moved into the region after Oct. 7 to help defend Israel and shipping channels in the Red Sea.
"We're going to obviously be vigilant to any potential threat to our forces in the region," Kirby said. "But the president has been clear we are not looking for a wider war. We're not looking for a second front or a third front. We're not looking to see escalation and we're certainly not looking for a war with Iran."
Kirby added that good intelligence about the attack helped the U.S. and Israel prepare.
"We've been watching as closely as we could the intelligence picture, we had a pretty good indication of the size and the scale and the scope of what Iran was planning," Kirby said. "That is why, because we had a good sense of what they were going to do and with how much, we were able to really help Israel knock down almost everything that Iran threw at them."
Iran says issue 'closed' after retaliatory strike on Israel
The Iranian envoy to the United Nations said Sunday that "the issue can be considered closed," referencing Iran's attack on Israel.
The envoy also warned the U.S. to "stay away" from the escalating conflict between the two countries.
"If the Israeli regime makes another mistake, the response of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be considerably more severe," the envoy said, referring to Israel's strike earlier this month on Iran's Consulate in Damascus, Syria, that killed a top Iranian military leader. "This is a conflict between Iran and the rogue regime of Israel, and America should stay away from it."
Iran's state news agency IRNA also reported Sunday that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a stern warning to the U.S. "against supporting and participating in any action that harms Iranian interests. In its statement, the IRGC threatened "a reciprocal and proportional response to American and Israeli threats originating from any country."
The Iranian foreign minister posted on his X account: "Exercising the right of legitimate defense shows Iran's responsible approach to regional and international peace and security. At this point, the Islamic Republic of Iran has no intention of continuing defensive operations, but if necessary, it will not hesitate to protect its legitimate interests against any new aggression."
-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian and Dana Savir
Iran attack 'thwarted' but 'event is not over,' Israel says
Israeli military officials on Sunday said the Iranian attack had been "thwarted" by Israel and its allies, but warned that the threat of further strikes continued.
Most of the more than 300 drones, missiles and other threats Iran launched were intercepted by Israeli and allied defenses before entering Israel, the Israel Defense Forces said.
"99% of the threats launched towards Israeli territory were intercepted -- a very significant strategic achievement," IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.
The military defense was coordinated with a group of international allies, including the United States, United Kingdom and France, Hagari said.
"This partnership has always been robust, but last night it was exceptionally evident," he said.
The attack included at least 170 uncrewed drones, none of which made it into Israeli territory, he said.
About 25 of the 30 cruise missiles launched were intercepted by Israeli fighter jets before entering Israel, Hagari said.
And more than 120 ballistic missiles were launched, with "only a few" striking targets within Israel, he said. Those that made it through struck Nevatim Air Force Base, causing "minor damage to infrastructure," he said. The base remained open, he added.
"However, it is important to say -- the event is not over," Hagari said. "We remain prepared and ready for further developments and threats."
-ABC News' Edward Szekeres and Kevin Shalvey
Blinken says US 'not involved' in Israel's strike on Iran
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has denied any U.S. involvement in Israel's retaliatory strike on Iran.
Blinken was asked at a press conference early Friday morning if Israel told the United States in advance of the strikes in Iran.
"I’m not going to respond," Blinken said. He went on to say that "the U.S. was not involved in any Israel offensive.”