similar to what we are seeing play out in iran. >> over the past couple of days we have talked about this several times. you had immediately monday tuesday and wednesday. you had several members of the ministration coming out and saying very forthrightly we are going after sanctions. we're going after around with sanctions. they set it from every rooftop you can scream it from, it's a way to say we are doing this. we are going to go after iran. is really doesn't need to and that was kind of the feeling that people got so sanctions might be coming but israel apparently thought it's just not enough. >> there's even questions about how effective these sanctions will be. the administration calls them swift actions put -- but we're not sure what they will be because they did not target the oil companies in iran we know that they have exported more oil than ever has in the past six
often come in stages and in phases. this could be the initial phase, showing the iranians that the israelis do have the ability and the will to target facilities and targets within iranian territory. we have no confirmation on the target that was reportedly hit or targeted in these explosions that took plays overnight. but if the israelis were conducting such an operation, they are likely not to project exactly what took place. what we can confirm is that conversations were taking place over the past several days between the americans and the israelis about what such a response might look like and how it would be limited in scope. the iranians have an opportunity here to claim victory though. this is significant the israelis and the americans as they are related to all of this in terms of the planning with the israelis are giving the iranians and exit ramp.
after reported israeli strike in iran. goes on to say embassy in jerusalem... restricting their travel to the tel aviv... and jerusalem area citing an abundance of caution following reports that israel conducted a retaliatory strike inside a ron. the employees are allowed to travel between those three cities. there is messaging going on behind the scenes. we are not really hearing from the front line people. we are hearing behind-the-scenes what is happening. there is posturing, messaging. a lot of stuff going on that we are not privy to. >> that's right. we haven't had any comment either from the state department about this or any sort of notification that we've seen as we've been monitoring all of this. secretary blank and overseas in italy meeting with g-7 leaders, perhaps we will hear from him as baltimore op are right now it is quiet it will be top of mind
iran to back down a little bit. the ir gc to back down a little bit and begin to give some stability back to the middle east because there are so many second and third order impacts that reverberate around the world. we need stability in that region >> i want to play this sound bite because is from the iranian foreign minister tonight who is in the united states. he was talking on what would happen if israel did go after iran. watch. >> if they commit the great error once again, our response will be decisive, definitive and regretful for them. we do not seek that -- to create tension and crisis or increase the situations in the middle east. we hope that the israeli regime
ability to target their nuclear facilities if needed. >> it's interesting because we are showing brand-new video. these are explosions apparently over the city. this was just sent in on the right-hand side of your screen. if we could take this foldout would be great because we haven't seen this yet. these are explosions and while we are watching this trait i want to ask you and follow up with jennifer griffin and moments. the crossing wires right now is that nuclear sights in iran's province remain unharmed. around state television said on friday its air defence systems were activated in the city against suspected drones which as you were saying moments ago, it is going to be turned from iran as a victory as they knocked down our drones coming np or queen knockdown there's there was no damage to our nuclear site. as we watch these explosions happening in southern iran, it
we talked about it a few minutes ago. it seems as if the rhetoric already is that they took care of the situation, the nuclear facilities are safe. there are some explosions but we combated israel's attack. >> that seems to be the case. we will get back to you. standby for us. let's bring in the news national correspondent. he his life for us at the white house. what are we learning out of there tonight? >> we know now that the lines are dark in the oval office. not a lot of activity here. from our correspondent we have now learned a government official confirming that the israel strike happened in iran. the white house was not involved in that the u.s. received prenotification from israel. it's been a busy day with respect to iran here at the white house. there was that meeting with the national security council being led by jake sullivan between u.s. and israeli security officials where we will told
do believe that they came from israel. nobody has knocked down any of that reporting as of yet we should point out that they are now reporting an israeli strike within iran says the u.s. was not involved and there was prenotification to the united states from the israelis which is important here because if you consider this that the u.s. at least was notified. we've got aaron cohen with us and a rabbi. we've got several military experts. the whole concept here is that now we know for the first time that at least the united states was notified as of late today, they were reporting that the united states and israel were negotiating israel going into rafah which is in southern gaza and if they were going into rafah the united states was willing to that mission as long as they did not retaliate against iran.
it is not designed to escalate tensions with iran p. or can now what does that mean? at this point in time we cannot confirm that israel was targeting iran's nuclear facilities. certainly symbolically by striking inside the province where some of those key nuclear facilities are again, we don't know what the targets of the strikes where p. or the u.s. government source has confirmed to my colleague that there was an israeli missile strike that occurred within iran tonight's. it was not a manned aircraft that was involved. and jackie is reporting that the u.s. was not involved in this strike and there was free notification to the u.s. from the israelis. the white house national security council and the pentagon are declining to comment on what is occurring in the middle east tonight. that is for a very good reason trace. of the u.s. not want this to expand. they do not want to be involved.
>> you are a man of peace. the question becomes is it posturing or is it a step back for a ron? is iran trying to to step back from their foreign minister's comments that we just played you a short time ago saying this would be a decisive robust responsive israel reaches our area. now they are saying... >> everybody knows it's all about what the people in the street think. that is the true reality. makes no difference when anybody in the media says. iran has most of the people against them. the few that support them, how did this happen? it's about the street. the second thing is a lot of people understand why is israel going after the nukes. we are only 15 million people in the world. we are not a lot we lost 6 million out of 1575 years ago. one bomb can take care of 7 million.
they are declining to comment. we did learn that the strike occurred in iran. and we learned that the white house was not caught off guard. there was prenotification from israel about this strike. we learned that the u.s. was not involved but it comes on a day when iran has been top of mind here early in the day. the sanctions which i will coming on in just a second. more importantly, jake sullivan leading a meeting with their counterparts in israel where they talked about among other -- among other things he has -- expected everett israeli offensive in rafah and the fact that sullivan shared his concerns with the israelis about certain actions they may take. israel noting that they were considering that. it appears they may have been discussing some other things. a little bit of colour here.