Iranian ballistic missiles that reached Israeli territory landed on the airbase in the southern part of the nation, causing only minor structural harm, according to Hagari. Despite the attack, the base remains operational and continues its activities, with aircraft continuing to utilize the facility, Hagari further noted.
A senior official from the US military informed reporters on Sunday that the US assessment indicates "no significant damage within Israel itself."
US vessels positioned in the eastern Mediterranean Sea destroyed between four and six Iranian ballistic missiles during the assault, while aircraft in the vicinity intercepted over 70 Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles en route to Israel. Additionally, a US Army Patriot missile battery successfully intercepted one ballistic missile near Erbil, Iraq, as reported by the official.
Iran and Israel, longstanding adversaries, have been locked in a clandestine conflict for years.
Israel's ongoing campaign against Hamas, initiated since the militant group's assault on October 7, has escalated tensions further.
In Iraq and Syria, militias backed by Iran have targeted US military installations, with Iranian leadership warning that such attacks will persist until Israel's Gaza campaign concludes.
Concerns of an escalating regional conflict surged in early April when Iran accused Israel of bombing its diplomatic compound in Syria.
This airstrike obliterated the consulate in Damascus, resulting in the deaths of at least seven officials, including high-ranking figures such as Mohammed Reza Zahedi, a top commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), and Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, a senior commander, according to Iran's foreign ministry.
Zahedi, a former leader within the IRGC, was the most prominent Iranian figure slain since the assassination of IRGC Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad in 2020, ordered by then-US President Donald Trump.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed retribution for the attack, while President Ebrahim Raisi asserted it would not go unpunished, as reported by state news agency IRNA. Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group, also vowed retaliation, denouncing the strike as deserving of "punishment and revenge."
The region has remained on high alert since, with both the US and Israel cautioning of intelligence indicating an imminent Iranian assault.
How have Israel and its allies responded to the Iranian strike?
Israel responded with indignation to the unparalleled strikes, while commending its military's reaction.
However, Israel's Western allies urged the nation to pursue de-escalation efforts, rather than retaliating in a manner that could escalate the situation into full-fledged warfare.
During a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, US President Joe Biden emphasized that the US would refrain from participating in any offensive actions against Iran, as conveyed by a senior official from the White House administration to CNN.
Biden conveyed to Netanyahu that he should view the events of Saturday night as a "victory," considering the largely unsuccessful nature of Iran's attacks. He highlighted Israel's "remarkable capability to defend against and overcome even unprecedented assaults."
Following a virtual summit on Sunday, the leaders of the G7 issued a joint statement condemning the Iranian assault, stating that it "poses the risk of triggering an uncontrollable escalation in the region."
"We call for Iran and its proxies to halt their assaults, and we are prepared to take further actions both now and in response to additional destabilizing actions," they declared.
Clashes intensify across Middle East
Since Hamas’ October 7 attacks and the ensuing Israeli offensive in Gaza, Iran and its allies have ramped up violence across the region, while the US has stepped up its presence in the Middle East.
What happens next?
The immediate course of action hinges on the decisions made by Israel's War Cabinet.
The three-member panel convened on both Sunday and Monday, with the attacks sparking intense deliberations regarding the appropriate response, according to two Israeli sources briefed by CNN.
While determined to retaliate against Iran's assault, the War Cabinet remains divided on the timing and extent of the response, Israeli officials revealed as the group met on Monday afternoon. Alongside considering potential military actions, diplomatic measures to further isolate Iran internationally are also under scrutiny.
Benny Gantz, one of the Cabinet members, affirmed that Israel will "make Iran pay a price in a manner and timing of our choosing."
Hardliners within the Israeli government have advocated for decisive action. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a response that would "resonate across the Middle East," while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir suggested Israel should take a bold stance.
Israel conveyed to the United States that it does not seek a significant escalation with Iran, a senior Biden administration official informed reporters on Sunday.
"They're focused on self-defense," the official emphasized.
Iran, on the other hand, proclaimed the initiation of a "new equation" in its adversarial relationship with Israel, cautioning of a "much larger" retaliation should Netanyahu opt for a tit-for-tat response.
"We have decided to establish a new equation, such that if the Zionist regime targets our interests, assets, individuals, or citizens from now on, anywhere and at any time, we will retaliate," declared Hossein Salami, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), speaking on Iranian state TV. "Zionist regime" is Iran's terminology for Israel.
