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.


0

Half of ballistic missiles launched at Israel failed: Officials

Two U.S. officials confirm to ABC News that at least half of the ballistic missiles launched by Iran at Israel either failed to launch, failed in flight, or crashed before reaching their targets in Israel.

A senior U.S. official previously told ABC News that among the more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, there were between 115 and 135 ballistic missiles that targeted Israel.

That would mean that only half of the ballistic missiles launched by Iran needed to be shot down by Israel and other countries.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report this info.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez


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


US warns of policy changes if Israel doesn't take action to better protect civilians

President Joe Biden spoke Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, their first conversation since seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.

Biden had strongly condemned the incident, which Israel's said was unintentional, saying he was "outraged."

Biden further expressed to Netanyahu that the strikes on the food relief workers and the overall humanitarian crisis in Gaza are "unacceptable," according to a White House readout of the call.

For the first time, the White House hinted the president may consider a change in U.S. policy with respect to Gaza if Israel doesn't take action to better protect civilians and aid workers.

"He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers," the readout read. "He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps."

Click here to read more.

-ABC News' Molly Nagle and Alexandra Hutzler