April 14, 2024 - Iran's attack on Israel

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a de-escalation of violence on Sunday after Iran’s attack on Israel.

 Guterres said the UN and member countries have a “shared responsibility” to engage “all parties concerned to prevent further escalation.”

He also called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict. “Neither the region nor the world can afford more war,” he said.

Israel is not seeking war after Iran's attack and "balance is needed in this situation," Israeli President Isaac Herzog told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Sunday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is speaking with many world leaders and there is "intimate dialogue with allies" in response to Iran's actions, he said.

Jordan summoned Iran's ambassador in Amman on Sunday after it intercepted Iranian drones over the country.

He emphasized that Jordan’s response would be the same whether the threat originated from Iran or Israel. “There was an assessment that there was a real danger of Iranian drones and rockets falling on Jordan, and the armed forces dealt with this threat,” Safadi said.

The recent escalation involving Iranian forces against Israel has heightened regional tensions, with Safadi noting that the continuation of the conflict in Gaza could lead to further destabilization. He criticized attempts to shift the focus from Gaza to broader regional conflicts, suggesting that some parties might be using the situation to provoke further confrontation.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Sunday to provide a brief on the “preliminary conclusions” of the Israel military's “defensive operations” after Iran’s attack.

Gallant expressed his “deep appreciation” towards Austin for his “leadership, and the unparalleled cooperation and coordination demonstrated by the defense establishments and militaries of both countries, together with international partners.”

According to a statement by Israel’s government, Gallant “highlighted the opportunity to establish an international coalition and strategic alliance to counter the threat posed by Iran – a state that threatens to place nuclear warheads on its missiles.”

The statement added that Israel’s defense “remains alert and prepared to face additional threats, including ongoing operations in Gaza, and efforts to release the hostages held by Hamas.”

Earlier, the United States said Austin asked Gallant to notify the US ahead of any potential response to the Iranian attack, according to another US official.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry initiated phone conversations on Sunday with his counterparts in Iran, Israel and the United States following Iran's missile attack on Israeli targets.

In a statement, the Egyptian foreign ministry said Shoukry emphasized the need for maximum restraint and cautioned against provocative actions and brinkmanship policies in the already-volatile Middle East.

He also stressed the importance of prioritizing diplomatic solutions amidst the ongoing crises in the Gaza Strip and the plight of the Palestinian people.

In his conversation with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Shoukry noted Egypt's commitment to work alongside the US to contain the current crisis between Iran and Israel, according to a foreign ministry statement.

In his call, he reiterated Egypt's ongoing efforts to halt the conflict in the Gaza Strip and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.

President Joe Biden held a call Sunday with congressional leaders including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East, according to an aide to Schumer.

The meeting comes as lawmakers remain divided about how to pass additional Israel funding in the wake of Iran's unprecedented strikes against Israel on Saturday.

The main question in Congress revolves around whether to attach aid to Israel to a wider national security aid package that would include money sent to Ukraine and Taiwan as well.

The Senate has already passed this package, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers —including Schumer and McConnell — have argued that it is the fastest way to get aid to Israel.

This leaves Johnson and his GOP-controlled House in a complicated situation. The House previously struggled to pass a standalone Israel aid bill amid opposition from both sides of the aisle. But Johnson could draw ire from the right if he ties it to Ukraine or puts the Senate bill on the floor.

Johnson has vowed to put some sort of Israel aid bill on the floor this week, but said the details are still being finalized.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Sunday that Israel has dramatically escalated getting humanitarian aid to Gaza by working with allies to perform airdrops, opening up more crossings, and operating a maritime route.

He added that "it's the right thing to do."

Last week, the top US humanitarian official Samantha Power said it was “credible” to assess that famine is already occurring in parts of Gaza.

Asked by CNN's Wolf Blitzer if Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war, Herzog rejected the claim:

Herzog also reiterated that there are still 135 Israeli hostages in Gaza who are "going through hell" and that Hamas has not told Israel the names of those dead or alive, and refuses to compromise with Israel.

On Sunday, a diplomatic source familiar with the negotiations confirmed that Hamas rejected the latest proposal from the recent Cairo talks to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.

In its response to the mediators, Hamas “reaffirmed their position” on the unrestricted right of Gazans to return north to their homes and the redeployment of Israeli troops away from central Gaza. Those are demands that Hamas has stuck to and Israel has resisted.

Some context: Israel this week has begun to take several major steps to ramp up aid to Gaza amid intense pressure from the United States, but humanitarian officials said progress was slow-going and that much more needed to be done, as warnings grew of famine in the enclave.

The post was updated with details on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and Herzog's response to the question about starvation as a weapon.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that Israel's defensive coalition successfully thwarted the attack from Iran overnight.

Approximately 350 rockets were fired from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon's Hezbollah, which carried about 60 tonnes of explosives, he said.

Hagari said it wasn't just Israel that was threatened but the entire Middle East, pointing out that Iranian forces also seized a Portuguese-flagged ship. 

Separately, Israeli President Isaac Herzog told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that Iran's drones are killing people all over the world through its proxies and the world must stand up to the country and say no.

Iran has provided its proxies with weapons through the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, for example, and also to Russia to fight in Ukraine.

Some background: US forces intercepted more than 70 one-way attack drones and at least 3 ballistic missiles fired toward Israel, according to two US officials familiar with the situation.

The ballistic missiles were intercepted by warships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, one official said. The US Navy currently has two destroyers in that area, both are guided missile destroyers capable of intercepting missile and drone launches.

US fighter jets were also part of the US response to Iran’s attack on Saturday and shot down drones launched toward Israel, another US official told CNN.

As Iran fired scores of missiles and drones toward Israel, there were mixed emotions among those on the ground.

For Tamara Jafar, a 34-year-old woman from historically Arab East Jerusalem, she said nobody in her neighborhood took the attack seriously.

David Levy, a 19-year-old student from the Givat Mordechai neighborhood in Jerusalem, said he first heard loud booms, "like I've never heard — ever — in my life," then sirens.

Tour guide Evelyn Lufan thought Iran was simply making threats.