April 14, 2024 - Iran's attack on Israel

The US Department of Homeland Security has not identified any “specific or credible threats” to the US since Iran’s attack on Israel and is working with partners to evaluate the threat environment, a US official told CNN.

Earlier this month, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters that there’s been a heightened threat environment amid the conflict in the Middle East.

A Homeland Security spokesperson said Sunday that the federal agency is continuing to monitor the situation and urging the public to remain vigilant.

As chaos ensued after thousands of Palestinians were turned away from returning to their homes in northern Gaza on Sunday, a 5-year-old girl was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers, her mother said.

Video shows a man carrying a 5-year-old girl named Sally Abu Laila, who was bleeding from her head, with people crowding around her in panic trying to cover her wound.

Her mother Sabreen told CNN her daughter was in her arms when Israeli soldiers shot at her. Sabreen, alongside her four children, was trying to cross through the checkpoint, when two young men squeezed in between her and other women waiting in line, prompting Israeli soldiers to fire at them.

Eventually, she said she managed to get to Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital where her daughter is undergoing treatment. She told CNN she is still in intensive care. CNN has reached out to the Israeli military for comment on reports that its soldiers fired shots at civilians trying to head up north, but has not received a response.

Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said reports that people could return to their homes in northern Gaza were false. “The northern Gaza Strip continues to be an active war zone and return to the area is not currently permitted,” IDF said.

Read more about what happened to thousands of Palestinians as they attempted to return home here.

A senior US military official said the United States assessed there was "no significant damage within Israel itself" after Iran's missile and drone barrage.

Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari appeared to echo the assessment on Sunday, saying that out of hundreds of rockets launched from Iran, only a few penetrated Israel, causing minor damage to the infrastructure at Nevatim airbase near the runway and to a road in the Hermon region.

Nevatim remained fully functional, and planes continued take-off and landing to fulfill their missions.

US President Joe Biden told the Israeli prime minister in his phone call Sunday that he should consider Saturday a win because Iran’s attacks had been largely unsuccessful and demonstrated Israel’s superior military capability, a senior administration official said.

John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, said Sunday the ability to prevent widespread damage was a demonstration of Israel’s “military superiority” and proof that Iran was not the “military power that they claim to be.”

Read more about what US officials said here.

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.