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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Blinken condemns attack

Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned Iran's attack on Israel, saying the U.S. doesn't seek escalation but will support Israel's right to defend itself and will protect U.S. personnel in the Middle East.

"The United States condemns Iran's attack on Israel in the strongest terms," Blinken said in a statement.

He added that he'll be "consulting with allies and partners in the region and around the world in the hours and days ahead."

-ABC News' Shannon K. Crawford


US shot down about 70 Iranian drones in Israel, officials say

Two U.S. officials confirmed that U.S. forces shot down about 70 Iranian drones headed towards Israel.

One official added that one of the U.S. Navy destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean was also able to bring down an undetermined number of Iranian ballistic missiles.

One of the officials said the destroyer shot down three Iranian ballistic missiles.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez


Shelter in place lifted in some areas of Israel

The Israel Defense Forces Aerial Defense Array successfully intercepted the majority of Iran's surface-to-surface missile launches using the "Arrow" Aerial Defense System, together with Israel's strategic allies, before the launches crossed into Israeli territory.

A small number of hits were identified, including at an IDF base in southern Israel, where minor damage was caused to infrastructure.

Over the past few hours, many dozens of hostile aircraft, as well as dozens of cruise missiles, from Iran were identified approaching Israeli territory and intercepted. Dozens of IAF fighter jets are currently operating to intercept all aerial threats approaching Israeli territory.

According to a situation analysis by IDF’s Home Front Command, the residents of the following towns: Northern Golan, Nevatim, Dimona, Eilat-City, Be'er Sheva and Arad no longer need to stay near a protected space.

The IDF said it is deployed on all fronts, prepared, and continuing to defend Israeli territory.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky


US helped 'take down nearly all' incoming drones, missiles: Biden

The U.S. helped "Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles," President Joe Biden said in a statement late Saturday evening.

The president also detailed his call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the attacks, where Biden said he reaffirmed America's "ironclad commitment to the security of Israel." He also said that his team would stay in "close touch" with Israel's leaders.

Biden said his team will engage with the G7 leaders on Sunday to coordinate a "united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack."

He noted that though American forces were not impacted, forces will continue to monitor and "will not hesitate to take all necessary action to protect our people."
-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart


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."