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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US forces destroy 80 drones, at least 6 ballistic missiles

U.S. military forces destroyed 80 drones and at least six ballistic missiles out of the more than 300 launched from Iran, according to CENTCOM Sunday.

The drone number is an update from Saturday evening, when the U.S. said it had intercepted 70 drones.

CENTCOM said the total included a ballistic missile that was on its launcher vehicle and seven drones before they left the ground.

-ABC News' Anne Flaherty


Israeli military submitted a 'spectrum of response options' to the government

Israeli military officials have submitted "a wide range of options" to respond to Iran’s missile strike Saturday, Israeli Defense Federation (IDF) spokesperson Peter Lerner told reporters early Monday morning in Tel Aviv.

The IDF’s response could be "strike or no strike," according to Lerner, who noted, there are "a lot of different scenarios in between those two."

The Israeli government will "decide on the steps forward" as early as Monday or within the coming days, Lerner said.

When asked about Iran’s "substantial" missile strike being intercepted with minimal damage, Lerner said, "Just because we were successful in intercepting, we shouldn't underestimate what Iran did."

"We can't take that lightly," Lerner said.


Israel reopens schools, relaxes restrictions on gatherings

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has eased homefront command guidelines after closing schools and limiting gatherings ahead of Iran’s missile strike Saturday.

"It was decided to restore educational activities across Israel," the IDF said in a statement early Monday, local time. The changes went into effect at midnight, according to Israel's Home Front Command.

Communities near the northern border and the Gaza Strip can also resume educational activities "in subject with restrictions."

-ABC News' William Gretzky


Congressional party leaders reach 'consensus' on aid to Israel and Ukraine, Schumer says

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that during a Sunday call between President Joe Biden and congressional leaders there was "consensus" that Congress needs to act quickly to send aid to both Israel and Ukraine.

Schumer said at a news conference in New York that "hopefully" something can be accomplished this coming week to aid both countries.

Earlier Sunday, Biden spoke to Senate Majority Leader Schumer, House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Schumer said the best way to send aid to Israel and Ukraine is for the House to take up and pass the Senate-approved national security supplemental that includes aid to both countries. The Senate passed the $95 billion package in February, but Johnson has not brought it to the floor for a vote.

"The best way to help Israel rebuild its anti-missile and anti-drone capacity is by passing that supplemental immediately. As I said, Israel expended about over a billion dollars in defending itself and the security supplemental would replenish the kind of anti-missile and anti-drone defenses that are in the Arrow, in the David's Sling, and in the Iron Dome," Schumer said.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said in a statement Saturday that the House would change its legislative schedule this week to "consider legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable," but it's not yet clear what legislation that will be, or how drastically it might depart from the Senate-passed bill.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin and Rachel Scott


'No higher priority': Harris meets with American hostages' families

During a meeting at the White House on Tuesday with the families of Americans being held hostage by Hamas, Vice President Kamala Harris said there is "no higher priority than reuniting the hostages with their loved ones," according to a White House readout.

Harris also reaffirmed the United States' commitment to bringing home the remains of those hostages who have been confirmed dead, according to the readout.

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose 23-year-old son Hersh is being held hostage by Hamas, described the meeting with Harris as "very productive."

“There is a possibility of holding two truths,” Goldberg-Polin told reporters outside the White House. “You can believe, as we do, that it is horrible that innocent civilians in Gaza are suffering, and at the same time you can also know that it is horrible and against international law for hostages to be held against their will."

Goldberg-Polin said her son got his arm blown off during Hamas' attack at the Nova Music festival on Oct. 7. Her husband, Jonathan Polin, said that they "have no choice but to stay hopeful."

Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of American hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, called on Hamas to reach a deal to release the hostages.

"We are waiting now and the world waits for Hamas to get to yes," Dekel-Chen told reporters. "It is in their court."

-ABC News' Juhi Doshi