Imprint. Com. Imprint for certain cnn breaking news hello, and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. Im Alex Marquardt live in washington with our continuing cnn breaking News Coverage of iran is unprecedented strike inside israel overnight. It is noon in israel, the country getting back to normal following that historic never before seen attack by iran against israel. Take a listen those are the israeli airraid sirens that Israeli Citizens to become all too accustomed to in the past six months with the war between israel and hamas but those were not hamas rockets flying it. Israel, those were iranian drones, ballistic and Cruise Missiles. The Israeli Military saying that more than 300 of those projectiles were fired at israel well over the course of five hours. But the idf says that the vast majority, almost all of 99 were shot down. The few that did get through those formidable American Allied and israeli air defenses all across the region. And in israel, the few that got through did hit an airbase in Southern Israel in the negev, but it only caused minor damage, were told now tehran is saying that the attack was in response to the israeli strike last week, almost two weeks ago, on the Consulate Building, that what they claim is the Consulate Building of iran embassy in the syrian capital of damascus that was on april 1 but iran said, as this attack was getting underway, and as these drones and missiles, were getting close to a run at two israeli airspace, that the matter was concluded, essentially saying thats all over for now, at least israels Foreign Minister for his part is repeating an earlier statement that if iran Attacks Inside Israel as they just did, that, israel then reserves the right to strike back inside iran. And that is the big question right now the Iranian Revolutionary guardcore, the head of the irgc says that if israel hits iranian interests anywhere, tehran will respond directly again. So it goes without saying that tensions right now are sky high. Meanwhile, us President Joe Biden has spoken in the past few hours with his israel rarely counterpart Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu they spoke by phone and according to a us officials, speaking to cnn, President Biden said that the outcome of what happened last night was essentially a win for israel because the iranian attacks had largely failed because almost all of those drones and missiles were intercepted and taken down. There was no major damage, and there were no deaths inside israel. Now, Prime Minister netanyahu, for his part, he posted a statement on social media. You can see it right there. He said, quote, we have intercepted, we have contained together, we shall win. So now that these iranian attacks are over, israel, jordan, and iraq of all reopened their airspace. You can see those planes flying again airlines still avoiding flying over iran, which includes a vital corridor for global and commercial travel. I want to get straight back to jerusalem and cnns nic robertson, who has been up all night giving us a blow by blow of what he has been seeing and what he has is hearing. Nick, i imagine right now, youre not seeing and hearing much of anything aside from life getting being back to normal but this is a far from normal situation. Everyone on tender hooks about what could happen next in terms of potential israeli response yeah im weve heard as you say, from the Foreign Minister saying repeating what he had said that if is a struck israel than israel would straight back the Defense Minister has indicated there is still more to combat this, isnt complete. Its not all done, and the Prime Minister and his very brief statement we together, we will win. That sounds indicative that theres more to come but there is no one in the Israeli Government yet whos saying definitively, we are going to go and strike back iran that that is, that is a final decision. What we understand is happening is this afternoon the israeli war cabinet thats Prime Minister netanyahu is very small war cabinet will make the decision on how israel will respond now, that had been expected, that cabinet session had been expected earlier in the day what they decide i think well then set the tone for whats to come interestingly, both iran and israel from very Senior Leadership levels, the president here in israel saying, well done to the air force, well done to the army, well done to the intelligence services. Thank you. United states. Thank you, President Biden ivan. Thank you. White house and in iran saying that they essentially have reset the agenda with israel, that israel can no longer strike their interests in the region without expecting a strike back. So on the one hand, both sides are saying whip succeeded President Biden stress that with Prime Minister netanyahu, that it was a success but the notion that israel would stand back now and let it, let iran be able to strike it back at will without a response more that seems unlikely and neck certainly playing into what the officials, the ministers, and that war cabinet are going to be discussing. Is this clear sense that from israels closest ally, the United States that they dont, that the us doesnt want to see israel do anything in this moment to essentially take the win yeah iran has also made it very clear to the United States if, if they do support israel and israel strikes back, then us troops in the region wont be safe. So the, lines are being drawn, but the track record of Prime Minister netanyahu listening to President Bidens wishes as weve seen in gaza, more than 33,000 palestinians killed there serious food shortages, lack of humanitarian aid, and the north of gaza, in particular, people close to starvation. President biden, pressing for many months for israel to change that dynamic make an only marginal changes coming President Bidens will and wish. That is expressed to Prime Minister netanyahu may not influence Prime Minister netanyahus decision. It isnt clear at this moment, but if you study the track record it is likely that the Prime Minister will operate in what he thinks is israels interests. The concern in the population here is that the more he turns his face away and ignores what President Biden says, the weaker the us support for israel Going Forward. Im very significantly the united but its has made very clear that it was their support for israel that helped them have a successful defense last night. So any growing rift thats a big worry for big part of the pottery duration here. Had to what extent Prime Minister feels netanyahu, it feels indebted to President Biden because of that significant support. That of course, remains to be seen. Nic robertson, a terrific reporting jerusalem, as always. Thank you very much. Meanwhile, in a rons capital, crowds of people have been gathering in the streets to celebrate irans state Tasnim News Agency showed this demonstration with people chanting, Honking Car Horns and waving palestinian flags in tehrans Palestine Square showing their support for irans attack on israel. Cnns Paula Hancocks joins me now from abu dhabi paula, what do you make of what were hearing from iranian officials in terms of essentially saying, well, this is over for now but we are willing to do more if there is an israeli retaliation yeah, ill exists interesting because what we have heard as well from the Commander In Chief of the revolutionary guards is that this is really changed the equation. The fact that this was the first time that iran had carried out an attack against israel from a radian territory, from iranian soil but, saying that that has happened next. So in the future, if israel were to carry out an attack or to threaten any of its assets or people that around wouldnt think twice about carrying out this kind of attack. Again, it shows the escalation. Of course its very difficult to do something for the first time, but then once its done, once it does become easier and that is of course, concern for many in the region that this significant escalation could, could result in a much more dangerous for tat between the two countries than we have seen in the past now we also heard from tehran that they believe now that this has concluded. We heard this messaging from the un The Uranian Representative Representation to the un, saying that this has concluded this was in response to what we saw earlier this month. On april 1st, when there was a strike against an iranian consulate in damascus. Now they say seven were killed including two commanders, one senior within the revolutionary guards. And they say that they believe this is over that was repeated again today. This sunday. They believed that this has been concluded. Of course, its its not up to the iranians at this point. It really is a wait and see scenario to see if israel is going to carry out any kind of response what were also seeing from tehran is that they are very keen for this to be seen as between iran and israel. They gave very clear messaging before this happened that the us should stay out of it and they have also given messaging after the the attacks and missile launches overnight saying that they have given a message to the United States through the Swiss Embassy that they should not get involved if they do, then us bases in the region could be targeted. We have seen dozens of attacks against us bases in syria and in iraq over recent months. Thats certainly since october 7. So this is really tehran trying to message that they believe this is over potentially saying they hope this. They dont necessarily want to see this escalate too far and they also hope that the us does stay on the sidelines. Alex yeah, the ball very much back and israel court. So its not necessarily for iran to say right now, so they may be bracing for what may come next from israel. Paula hancocks in abu dhabi. Thank you very much. Want to get straight to cnn senior White House Reporter and kevin liptak kevin, we saw hours of meetings in the Situation Room last night, President Biden meeting with his Top National Security advisers. What what are we hearing from the white house . Yes, certainly some tense moments there inside the white house says President Biden was really monitoring this event in real time and youll remember alex, President Biden actually rushed back from his beach house in delaware to be in the Situation Room with all of the Monitoring Equipment that is necessary for this its kind of event, of course, President Biden is in something of a tenuous situation here as he works to contain the situation prevent it from exploding into a regional conflict while also demonstrating support for israel, the kind of support that was necessary for preventing a much worse attack from happening. Last night. And the president did speak with Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu. Of course, there have been a tensions between these two men over the war in gaza. But certainly last night, President Biden a seeking to diminish any daylight between them in a statement that president said, ive just spoken with Prime Minister netanyahu to reaffirm america because ironclad commitment to the security of israel, the president goes on to say, i told him that israel demonstrated are remarkable capacity to defend against an defeat even unprecedented attacks, sending a clear message to its fos that they cannot effectively threatened lets of israel. And i think reading Between The Lines of that statement and also talking two american officials, President Biden, is saying here you one, youve just take the win. The us does view israels response to this attack as successful. They dont see any targets of value having been and struck the majority, the vast majority of israeli drones and missiles shot down before making impact. And President Biden essentially telling netanyahu here that this should be considered a success. We also heard from an american official that President Biden told his counterpart that the us would not participate in any offensive operations against around. So essentially drawing a line here, are certainly mindful of the effect that are reprisal from israel and the United States would have on us forces in the region. No President Biden today plans to confer with the leaders of the g7 on a diplomatic path forward. And certainly the emphasis is on diplomacy and not necessarily on military actions in the days ahead, alex and im sure that hell be speaking again quite soon with his israeli counterpart. After such a dramatic tack by iran cnns kevin liptak, White House Reporter. Thank you very much. When reagan, stephen cook, a senior fellow of middle Eastern Studies at the council on foreign relations, joining us live now from athens in greece. Steven, thanks so much for joining us. I want to start where kevin left off there. What do you make of this white house statement and the reporting that were getting from the white house that is essentially telling israel take the win. You did very well at defending yourselves. And also if you decide to go after iran now, were not going to join you yeah i think from the perspective that the white house, the israelis demonstrated there rather extraordinary texas capacity to of course, with the help of the United States and other regional powers but its not necessary now, demonstrating, giving that israel demonstrated this Technical Capability to escalate and risk of regional conflict. I think the israelis, from their perspective, looking at quite differently that iran attacked israel directly. This is the third time in the last five years that iran has used drones to attack regional partners of the United States to the same drones that are being used in ukraine, that it is time to bring this threat to an end, which is why you see that theyre the israelis had not yet said that theyll stand down what is your anticipation do, you think that they will carry out this some kind of retaliation . Im youve got to extraordinary forces competing with each other here one, the iranian attack against israel that weve never seen before. At the same time, israels biggest ally essentially saying, dont do it yeah, i think it puts Prime Minister netanyahu in a very, very difficult position certainly, the israelis could not have done this had the United States not played a central role in coordinating the Regional Response to the iranian threat at the same time, theres going to be significant political oh, pressure within israel to strike back at iran for a direct attack on israel something that has never happened before. It may not be spectacular since that the israelis fired their own missiles on iranian territory. But at some point, it seems likely given the politics in israel right now that the israelis will, will respond in kind what do you make of the fact, steven, that this was almost entirely an attack by iran against israel that the proxy is essentially did not get involved here. We didnt see anything major major from hezbollah are the houthis, i should say there were some projectiles fired from yemen, from from lebanon, but this was not a concerted effort by all of the proiran forces in the region. It really was a ronna essentially by itself it is somewhat of a surprise that the proxies did not get involved as well. But i think after the Israeli Attack on the irgc headquarters in damascus, that the iranians believed that they had to respond directly themselves. That for their own politics, for their own regional standing they needed to no longer hide behind their proxies and take on the israelis directly all right. Steven cook i