While emotions were high over a potential Israeli counterstrike, Israel on Sunday praised the effectiveness of its defenses against an attack by Iran using hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles.
The Iranian attack on Saturday was the first direct military assault on Israel in decades, despite decades of animosity stemming from the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. It came less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria that killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consular building.
During Israel's six-month conflict with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, relations with Iran have been tense. After two terrorist organizations supported by Iran, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, launched a deadly cross-border attack on October 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel and abducted 250 more, the war broke out.
Over 33,000 people have died and extensive destruction has been caused by an Israeli offensive in Gaza, local health experts report.
Right now:
Fears of a wider war were aroused by Iran's attack on Israel, but victories were achieved by all parties.
As Biden promises support, the US assists Israel in downing "nearly all" assault drones launched by Iran.
— As Iran began attacking Israel, President Joe Biden decided to shorten his weekend getaway at his Delaware beach house in order to meet with his national security staff and keep an eye on the situation in the Middle East.
