4/15/24 - Reaction After Iran Attacks Israel

For the first time, Iran launched missiles and drones toward Israel, from Iran.

(JERUSALEM/DUBAI) -  Iran launched explosive drones and fired missiles at Israel late on Saturday in its first direct attack on Israeli territory.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said the Group of Seven would meet to help coordinate a diplomatic response.

The White House says the U.S. would oppose any Israeli counterattack against Iran.

Israel's military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said Iran launched dozens of ground-to-ground missiles at Israel, most of them intercepted outside Israeli borders. They included more than 10 cruise missiles, he said.

The Iranian salvo of more than 200 drones and missiles caused light damage to one Israeli military facility, Hagari said.

Iran had vowed retaliation for what it called an Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate on April 1 that killed seven officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said America did not seek conflict with Iran but would not hesitate to act to protect U.S. forces and support defiance of Israel.

Israel and Iran have been bitter foes for decades. 

Israel had been bracing for an Iranian response to the Damascus consulate strike since last week, when Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel "must be punished and shall be" for an operation he called equivalent to one on Iranian soil.

Iran's main ally in the region, the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah that has been exchanging fire with Israel since the Gaza war began, said early on Sunday it had fired rockets at an Israeli base.