'Neither the region nor the world can afford more war,' U.N. chief says
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres opened today's Security Council meeting by urging de-escalation for the sake of global stability.
"We have a shared responsibility to work for peace — regional and indeed global security are being undermined by the hour. Neither the region nor the world can afford more war," Guterres said.
He criticized both Iran's attack on Israel and the attack on the Iranian Consulate compound in Damascus, Syria, this month. He reminded all parties that they have a shared responsibility to promote peace, facilitate the return of hostages still in Gaza and establish a humanitarian cease-fire.
"It’s time to step back from the brink," Guterres said. "It’s vital to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations in multiple fronts in the Middle East. Civilians are already bearing the brunt and paying the highest price."
Israeli air force intercepted dozens of aerial threats from Iran
Israeli defenses thwarted dozens of unmanned aircraft, cruise missiles and other aerial threats Iran launched last night, IDF officials said in a statement on Telegram.
Only a few missiles made it into Israel. Nevatim Airbase, one of the largest air bases in Israel, and a road in the Hermon area, three hours away, suffered damage. Operations at the air base were not affected, according to the statement.
Biden tells Netanyahu Israel shouldn't retaliate against Iran
Watch MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell and Alex Witt discuss the latest on Israel’s assessment of Iran’s attack and what can be expected from the two countries.
Jordan’s foreign minister accuses Netanyahu of dragging West into regional war
Jordanian Foreign Affairs Minister Ayman Safadi warned the only way to reduce escalation in the region is to stop the war in Gaza, blaming recent spiraling regional relations on Netanyahu.
"We had warned that Netanyahu would try to create a confrontation with Iran to drag the United States and the West into a regional war so the focus would shift towards Iran and the world would forget Gaza," he told Al-Mamlaka news.
Safadi added that the challenge following Iran's retaliation yesterday is how to end the aggression so the world can refocus on Gaza. He said the ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador to speak about the regime's criticism of Jordan's positions.
"We do not want an escalation with Iran, and we want good relations with it based on the principle of noninterference in internal affairs and respect for others," Safadi said. "Jordan is capable of protecting its interests. Iran’s problem is with Israel, not with Jordan."
Jordan, which hosts more than 2 million Palestinian refugees, has done more for the Palestinians than anyone else, including Iran, Safadi said.
Israeli fighter jets strike Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, IDF says
Israeli fighter jets struck numerous Hezbollah targets in Lebanon today in the towns of Kfarkela, Maroun al-Ras, Aita al-Shaab, Souaneh and Markaba, the military said in a statement.
The IDF said it targeted Hezbollah "military compounds and terrorist infrastructure" in some places and "threats" in others.
A Lebanese state news report said two missiles hit a home in Maroun al-Ras. It also said the area of Aita al-Shaab that was under artillery shelling was a residential neighborhood.
IDF spokesman: Israel weighing next steps during 'significant 24-hour period'
Israel is in a very "significant 24-hour period" and appears to be carefully weighing its next steps in response to Iran's attack, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said today.
Operational plans have been approved for both offensive and defensive actions, but Hagari declined to provide further details. Operations will continue in Gaza, and additional reserves will be called to join the fighting, he said.
Israel, along with an international coalition that includes the U.S., the U.K. and France, thwarted 350 exploding drones, rockets and cruise and ballistic missiles yesterday, he said.
"Iran, since the beginning of the war, wants only one thing — to escalate the region," Hagari said in English. "Until now, she worked through her proxies, but she has now revealed herself."
As Israel plans its response, he said, rescuing the 133 hostages being held captive by Hamas remains a top priority.
"We will not miss any opportunity to bring them back home," Hagari said. "This is our responsibility."
No final decisions made on how Israel will respond, official says
TEL AVIV — Israel will respond to Iran’s attack but no final decisions have been made on the size or timing of the response, an Israeli official told NBC News.
“It is clear Israel will respond, the question is when and at what scale,” the official said after an hours-long war cabinet meeting.
The IDF has been asked to present additional options to decision makers. The official said that among the considerations were whether Israel needed to retaliate immediately or could afford to wait, and what impact any escalation against Iran would have on Israeli operations in Gaza.
Israel will respond to Iran's attack, according to government official
An Israeli government official in the prime minister’s office said no decision was made on exactly what Israel will do but that “the IDF will need to present options” and that “it is clear that Israel will respond.”
A second Israeli aide to another member of the war Cabinet said, “No one wants to see an escalation,” and that “it’s a very delicate time right now.”
Palestinians in Gaza react to Iranian attacks on Israel
After months of heavy bombardment, Gazans said they were able to get a few hours of reprieve from strikes as Israel fended off attacks from Iran.
“Any act that results in getting the Israeli occupation busy from Gaza is good for Gaza,” one man told an NBC News crew in Rafah.
Los Angeles law enforcement agencies on high alert
Police and sheriff's departments in Los Angeles said yesterday that they are on high alert following Iran's attack on Israel.
"While there are no credible threats to Los Angeles at this time, we are committed to ensuring safeguards to houses of worship and sensitive areas throughout all communities in Los Angeles," the Los Angeles Police Department wrote in a post on X.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said his department is increasing patrol checks around "sensitive and religious sites" in the area.
Some 400,000 people with Iranian heritage live in the United States, and about a third of them, or 138,000, live in Los Angeles, according to a 2023 study published by UCLA. An estimated 565,000 Jewish residents live in L.A., according to a 2021 study published by the Brandies University Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies.