In response to a deadly attack earlier this month, Iran on Saturday launched “dozens” of drones toward Israel, the Israeli military said.
Israel is now expected to respond militarily, although it is unclear how strong it will be. It may take several hours for the drones to reach their intended targets, the identity of which remains unclear. Attacks from Iranian territory into Israel would represent a major escalation in the regional war.
President Biden cut short his weekend in Delaware and rushed back to the White House, where he was joined by a team of national security advisers who were preparing violent retaliations after airstrikes attributed to Israel on April 1 killed seven senior Iranian officials in Iranian diplomatic headquarters. Mission in Syria.
Admiral Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesman, announced the launch of Iranian drones and said that Israel was already on high security alert, canceling schools and large public gatherings until further notice.
White House national security spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said: “Iran has begun an air attack against Israel.”
American officials said that direct military operations between Israel and Iran would change the rules of the game.
“We are in completely uncharted territory,” Merav Zonszyn, a Middle East analyst at the International Crisis Group, said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Biden administration officials, along with their counterparts from several Arab and European countries, have been urging Iran in recent days to show restraint even as Tehran's heated rhetoric and attack preparations clearly escalate.
US officials also urged Israel to calibrate any response to Iran's actions.
But the broader conflict, in a region already reeling from Israel's devastating war in Gaza, will further frustrate Washington's diplomatic efforts to ease tensions and free hostages held by the armed Hamas movement, including many American citizens.
It could also undermine domestic support for Biden from war-weary voters just under seven months before the US presidential election.
