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The United States and European allies redoubled efforts Tuesday to press Israel for restraint following Iran’s unprecedented weekend bombardment, promising to levy tough sanctions on Tehran’s ability to sell oil and build attack drones.

Western powers fear an Israeli retaliation could plunge the region into a wider war that could draw them in while further eroding international support for Jerusalem. Senior Israeli officials have vowed to respond while promising to take the position of the US and other allies into account.

“Further significant escalation will only deepen instability in the region,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he told Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call Tuesday evening. “This is a moment for calm heads to prevail.”

The IDF has decided how it will counter-strike Iran and its proxies but has not yet settled on the timing; multiple sources told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

Because the timing is still variable and because of all the necessary complex preparations, the current decision could change.

However, the very development of a decision shows the severity and determination of Israel’s leadership to strike back, though all indications are that Jerusalem still seeks to tamp down the attack to avoid spiraling into a regional war.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant overnight Monday to reinforce Washington’s commitment to the Jewish state’s security and emphasize the importance of upholding regional stability.

The two men “discuss[ed] the aftermath of Iran’s unprecedented April 13 attacks, which U.S., Israeli, and partner forces thwarted in a combined defensive operation. The Secretary reiterated steadfast U.S. support for Israel’s defense and reaffirmed the strategic goal of regional stability,” according to a Pentagon readout of the call.

Israel’s War Cabinet is in the process of deciding on a “painful” response to the Islamic Republic’s massive drone and missile assault overnight Saturday.

Vowing retribution but urged to show restraint, Israel has yet to agree on its response to an expansive drone and missile strike carried out on its territories by Iran on Saturday.

A Monday meeting of Israel’s five-person war Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, concluded without comment on whether the Jewish state will honor its pledge to “exact a price” from Tehran or concede to calls for a measured response from international leaders.

In an unsourced report, Channel 12 claims the war cabinet has made the decision to hit back “clearly and forcefully” against Iran for its missile and drone attack on Saturday night.

The response will be designed to send the message that Israel “will not allow an attack of that magnitude against it to pass without a reaction,” the report says. The response will also be designed to make plain that Israel will not allow the Iranians to “establish the equation” they have sought to assert in recent days. This appears to be a reference to Iran’s warning that future Israeli strikes on Iranian territory, including its international diplomatic premises, will henceforth again be met by Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel.

The report says Israel does not want its response to spark a regional war, or to shatter the coalition that helped it defend against Iran’s attack. It further says that Israel intends to coordinate its action with the US. 

Saudi Arabia acknowledged that it had helped the newly forged regional military coalition — Israel, the United States, Jordan, the United Kingdom, and France — repel an Iranian attack against the Jewish state early Sunday morning, in an unusual post on its royal family’s website.

It referenced a story on KAN News about the Saudi involvement in the military defensive operation in which 99% of the Iranian drones and missiles were destroyed before hitting their targets. 

Many of the drones and missiles had to travel over Jordanian and Saudi airspace to reach Israel.

The United Kingdom, France and Germany urged Israel on Monday not to retaliate against Iran after its unprecedented attack on Saturday night, warning that a military response could send the Middle East spiraling into an all-out war, as Israel’s war cabinet prepared to meet to discuss its options against Tehran.

Speaking to the BBC ahead of an expected statement by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday afternoon, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that while the inclination to respond to the roughly 350 attack drones and missiles launched by Tehran was justified, Israel needs to “think with its head as well as its heart, to be smart as well as tough.”

The UK has advised Israel that it would be better off not retaliating, Cameron said, declaring that the attack was a “double defeat” for Iran in that it failed to cause major damage to Israel while at the same revealing “to the world that [Iran is] the malign influence in the region prepared to do this.”

Sirens and explosions were heard nationwide in Israel early Sunday morning as Iran launched a wave of more than 300 drones and missiles at the country in its first-ever direct attack on the Jewish state.

Here is what we know about what Iran attempted to target, how Israel defended against the attack, and why alarms were activated and explosions were heard across the country.

While a list of sites Iran tried to hit has not been publicized by Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — which launched the drones and missiles — the main target of the attack appeared to be a sensitive airbase in southern Israel, Nevatim, home to the F-35 stealth fighter jet, the military’s most advanced aircraft.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, Iran’s attack comprised 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and 120 ballistic missiles — 99% of which were intercepted by air defenses.

U.S. President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Saturday that Washington will not support an Israeli retaliatory attack for Iran’s drone and missile assault on the Jewish state, Axios reported, citing a senior White House official.

“You got a win. Take the win,” Biden told Netanyahu, according to the official, amid fears of a regional war should Jerusalem respond.

Top Iranian commanders warned Israel on Sunday that the country would face a bigger attack if it retaliates against overnight drone and missile strikes, adding that Washington has been told not to back any military action from its ally.

“Our response will be much larger than tonight’s military action if Israel retaliates against Iran,” Iran’s armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri told state TV, adding that Tehran warned Washington that any backing of Israeli retaliation would result in US bases being targeted.

Iran warned the United States not to respond to its attack on Israel, as the confrontation between the two-arch foes spilled over into the region and US President Joe Biden held consultations in Washington.

This “is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the US MUST STAY AWAY!” Iran’s mission to the UNin New York stated in a post on X early Sunday morning.

It justified its launch of a drone and missile attack on Israel as an act of self-defense permissible under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

The U.S. military has shot down "at least dozens" of Iranian drones en route to Israel late Saturday and early Sunday, a senior U.S. official tells Fox News.

"U.S. forces in the region continue to shoot down Iranian-launched drones targeting Israel. Our forces remain postured to provide additional defensive support and to protect U.S. forces operating in the region," a U.S. official said.

First Iranian attack drones will reach Israel in just over two hours, defense officials estimate; Israel to close airspace ■ Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it launched cruise missiles at Israel ■ IDF says 100–150 drones already launched ■ IDF deploys GPS jamming ■ Israeli war, security cabinets convene ■ Israeli army intensifies emergency guidelines, bans educational activities and large gatherings

The IDF announced on Saturday night that Iran has launched dozens of drones directly from its territory against Israel, in a radical change from its usual use of proxies.

The military said that it is ready to shoot them down, though air defense is not hermetic.

The IDF's shoot-down capabilities include aircraft, Iron Dome, David's Sling, and the Arrow missile system.

Iranian special forces seized a container ship near the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane to the Persian Gulf, state-run IRNA news agency reported Saturday. 

IRNA stated that the Portuguese-flagged ship was operated by the Zodiac shipping company, which is part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. Zodiac said in a statement that the ship is managed and operated by the U.K.-based shipping company, MSC. NBC News has reached out to MSC for comment.

The U.S. rushed warships into position to protect Israel and American forces in the region, hoping to head off a direct attack from Iran on Israel that could come as soon as this weekend.

The moves by the U.S. that are part of an effort to avoid a wider conflict in the Middle East came after a warning from a person familiar with the matter about the timing and location of the potential Iranian attack.

President Biden, asked Friday when an Iranian strike on Israel may occur, said, “My expectation is sooner than later.” Asked if he had a message for Iran, Biden said: “Don’t.”

“We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel and help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” Biden said.

These are fateful days for the State of Israel. By the time you read this it could be that Israel will already have been attacked by Iran – either by the Islamic Republic or via proxy – and might have already responded.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated on Thursday Washington’s commitment to upholding Israel’s security, as the Israel Defense Forces continued preparations for an expected Iranian attack on the home front.

Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant “to reiterate ironclad U.S. support for Israel’s defense in the face of growing threats from Iran and its regional proxies,” according to a Pentagon readout of their call.

• Western diplomats have mounted pressure on China to prevent Iran from escalating tensions in the Middle East with a direct retaliatory strike against Israel. 
   
• Tensions spiked at the start of this month when seven Iranian military advisers were killed in a strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus. Israel has not declared responsibility. 
   
• On Wednesday, Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel “should be punished and will be punished” for the Damascus killings. 
   

The United States said on Thursday it had restricted its employees in Israel and their family members from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva areas amid Iran's threats to retaliate against its regional adversary.

Iran has vowed revenge for the April 1 airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus, ratcheting up tension in a region already strained by the Gaza war.

"Out of an abundance of caution, U.S. government employees and their family members are restricted from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv (including Herzliya, Netanya, and Even Yehuda), Jerusalem, and Be'er Sheva areas until further notice," the US embassy said in a security alert on its website on Thursday.

FBI Director Christopher Wray on Thursday will warn of an "elevated threat" to U.S. public safety and national security while advocating for an increased budget.

"Looking back over my career in law enforcement, I’d be hard-pressed to think of a time where so many threats to our public safety and national security were so elevated all at once," Wray will say to the House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Thursday afternoon. "But that is the case as I sit here today. This is not a point when we can let up."

Wray will say that the FBI's "immediate concern" is that individuals will draw inspiration from the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East and carry out terrorist attacks in the U.S.

Following last week’s strike in Damascus and threats of retaliation from Iranian officials, Israel has signaled that it will attack targets in Iran if it were to launch a direct attack, according to an Arab report Monday.

Citing an anonymous “Western security official,” the London-based Elaph News reported that Israel has been conducting air force drills in recent days that include preparing to target Iranian nuclear facilities and other key infrastructure.

As the war between Israel and Gaza continues, Israel is also preparing for scenarios in other areas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, amid concern that Iran was preparing to strike Israel in response to the killing of senior Iranian commanders.

US and Israeli officials fear that most of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas since October 7 have been killed in captivity, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, as talks to secure a hostage release deal and a temporary truce continued in Cairo.

The commander of the United States Army’s Central Command, General Michael Erik Kurilla, will arrive in Israel on Thursday for coordination talks on preparing for a possible attack by Iran. 

This visit comes in light of Israel’s alleged strike that killed Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards general Mohammad Reza Zahedi in Damascus last week, Israeli officials said. 

General Kurilla will meet with IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant against the backdrop of the joint preparation of the US and Israel against an Iranian attack using ballistic missiles, drones, and cruise missiles against targets in Israel, which may further escalate the conflict in the region.

A key Democrat on Tuesday said he is noncommittal about approving an $18 billion F-15 sale to Israel, even as centrist members of the party who previously supported unrestricted military aid to the country become increasingly skeptical amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The Spanish-language television network Univision aired an hour-long, pre-recorded interview on Tuesday in which U.S. President Joe Biden criticized Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“I think what he’s doing is a mistake,” Biden said. “I don’t agree with his approach.”

“So I what I’m calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a ceasefire, allow for the next six, eight weeks total access to all food and medicine going into the country,” Biden said.

US President Joe Biden says Washington’s commitment to Israel’s security is “ironclad” in the face of threats from Iran.

“I said to [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, US commitment to Israel’s security in the face of Iranian threats to launch an attack against Israel is ironclad,” he says during a White House press conference.

Israel’s Diplomatic-Security Cabinet is convening on Tuesday at the demand of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, with the topics on the agenda to include the ongoing truce talks and the state of the war in Gaza. The minister was set to put two proposals on the table during the meeting.

The first involves securing an American commitment to back Israel’s return to combat after a six-week pause in the fighting, and in particular a ground operation in Rafah in southern Gaza, as a condition for completing a deal.

The second aims to ensure that, as part of the Israeli concessions being discussed in Cairo, there will be no free movement of residents of the Strip from south to north, which would allow Hamas to reorganize and maintain its force.

An Israeli air strike on Monday night killed a top Hamas terrorist, who headed the organization’s “emergency committee” in the camps of central Gaza.

Hatem Alramery “was a Hamas military-wing operative in the field of projectile launches within the Maghazi Battalion of the Central Camps,” according to the IDF.

Also on Monday, an Israeli Air Force craft eliminated a terrorist in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza who participated in the bloody Oct. 7 invasion of the northwestern Negev.

As the Israel Defense Forces fight Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip, the Iranian regime continues to foment violence in Judea and Samaria by flooding the territory with weapons, The New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing officials in Washington, Jerusalem and Tehran.

Judea and Samaria saw a dramatic rise in terrorist attacks in 2023 compared to the previous year, with shootings reaching the highest level since the Second Intifada of 2000-05, according to Israeli military data.

The violence has continued to escalate since Hamas started a war with its murderous rampage across the northwestern Negev last year. Since Oct. 7, at least eight Israelis have been murdered in Judea and Samaria.

Israel has set a date for the military offensive against the remaining Hamas terror battalions in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday night.

“We are constantly working to achieve our goals—first and foremost the release of all our hostages and achieving a complete victory over Hamas.
This victory requires entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there,” the premier said in a video released by his office.

“It will happen; there is a date,” revealed Netanyahu, adding that he had received a “detailed report” on the high-level hostages-for-ceasefire negotiations that ended in Cairo earlier on Monday.