Live Updates: Iran Launches Drones Against Israel

Iran launched an attack on Israel on Saturday, employing a barrage of drones and missiles.

This offensive is widely viewed as retaliation for the April 1 attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria, which is attributed to Israel and resulted in the deaths of seven Iranian military officers.

Military sources informed NBSNews that Iran has dispatched over 100 drones towards Israel, marking a robust response to the earlier incident in Syria where two of Tehran’s top commanders were killed.

The attack on the consular facility had heightened tensions between the two nations, leading to this aggressive military reaction from Iran.

Here Are Live Updates On Iran Attack On Israel

– The Biden administration expects Iran will also launch dozens of cruise missiles and ballistic missiles targeting Israeli government sites, not civilians or religious sites, a U.S. official said.

It will be hours before the drones arrive and Israel will aim to intercept them, Israeli military officials said.

The U.S. and Israel have coordinated on a defense plan, including the USS Carney and other destroyers and assets, officials said.

President Joe Biden arrived at the White House and was headed into the Oval Office at approximately 5:04 p.m. ET.

He is to meet with principals of the National Security Council to discuss the situation in the Middle East in the Situation Room, the White House said.

– Daniel Arkin and Janhvi Bhojwani
When news broke that Iran had launched a retaliatory attack on Israel, some users on the social media platform X uploaded misleading videos, including footage from previous drone attacks or imagery from video games.

In one, an X user posted a video from six months ago showing Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system intercepting Hamas rockets in Ashkelon.

– In another post flagged by a reporter for the BBC, an X user falsely suggested that imagery from the video game “Arma 3” was video from today’s drone attacks.

– Israeli military officials said the attack began with more than 100 Iranian drones heading toward Israel. It will take hours before the drones arrive, and Israeli officials said they hope to intercept them.

– A senior Biden administration official warned that the assault could also involve dozens of cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.

The official said the administration expects Israeli government facilities to be targeted but not civilian or religious sites. U.S. assets in the region are also not expected to be targeted, the official said.

The U.S. and Israel have been closely coordinating how to defend against the attack, the official said. “We’re ready. The Israelis are ready.”

– The Israeli Defense Forces have “tens of aircraft” in Israeli skies at the moment, an IDF official said at a briefing following Iran’s launching of drones toward Israel.

The IDF confirmed the launching of drones but said it cannot confirm that Iran has launched any missiles. The official said the IDF cannot confirm the type or the payload of drones launched.

The official also said they cannot confirm if there have been any interceptions yet or what Iran is targeting in Israel.

The IDF is operating on “a pre-prepared action plan,” the official said, adding that the idea is to intercept the drones before they reach Israel but that they will intercept the drones over Israel if necessary.

– Members of the House and Senate intelligence committees had classified information made available to them last week on Iran’s plans to strike Israel, two congressional officials told NBC News.

The officials said they expect briefings from administration and intelligence community officials next week when Congress returns, but those briefings have not yet been scheduled.

– Lebanese airspace has been closed to all arriving, departing and crossing aircraft, Ali Hamiyah, the minister of public works in the caretaker government, said in a post on X, in light of the attacks launched from Iranian territory toward Israel.

The closure is temporary, the government said, and will start at 1 a.m. local time and will be in effect until 7 a.m. local time.

Air traffic at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport will be completely closed during the same time period, according to the statement. Updates will be made according to developments in the situation.

– U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemns Iranian attack toward Israel.

“I condemn in the strongest terms the Iranian regime’s reckless attack against Israel. These strikes risk inflaming tensions and destabilising the region,” U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement.

“Iran has once again demonstrated that it is intent on sowing chaos in its own backyard,” Sunak added.

Sunak said the U.K. will continue to “stand up for Israel’s security” as well as that of the U.K.’s regional partners, including Jordan and Iraq.

“Alongside our allies, we are urgently working to stabilise the situation and prevent further escalation. No one wants to see more bloodshed,” Sunak said.

– Israel’s airspace will be closed to all domestic and international flights starting at 12:30 a.m. local time, a spokesperson with the Israel airport authority said.

The spokesperson said the flight schedule from Tel Aviv is likely to change due to the delay in the arrival of flights to Israel and that the Ramon Airport will be closed to traffic.

Travelers should check with airlines and on the Airports Authority website regarding new flight times, according to the spokesperson, who said they will continue to provide updates as the situation develops.

El Al has canceled 15 flights, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed to NBC News. The canceled flights were mainly from Europe to Israel.

“In light of the closure of the airspace over Israel, some El Al flights are canceled,” a statement from the airline said.

Updates will be posted on El Al’s website and on social media. Customers whose flights were canceled will be notified when they can book an alternative when possible.

“El Al operates according to the instructions of the security forces and is in direct contact with them,” the spokesperson said.

– Syria has put its Russian-made Pantsir ground-to-air defence systems around its capital Damascus and major bases on high alert, anticipating an Israeli strike, army sources have told Reuters.

They said they expected Israel would retaliate against army bases and installations where pro-Iranian militia were based.