Live updates: Israel says 99% of Iran's drones and missiles were intercepted

German hose Lufthansa said Sunday that it had suspended regular flights to and from Tel Aviv, Amman and Erbil done Monday. It said it plans to service those destinations again starting Tuesday, but that flights to Beirut and Tehran will stay suspended until astatine slightest Thursday.

Lufthansa said it was monitoring and assessing nan information business successful nan Middle East and was successful adjacent interaction pinch authorities.

“The information of our passengers and crews ever has apical priority,” it said successful an emailed statement.

Lufthansa, Europe’s biggest hose group, announced connected Friday that its planes were avoiding Iranian airspace.

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The British authorities says it has moved “several additional” combatant jets and refueling tankers to nan region, pursuing Iran’s unprecedented drone and rocket onslaught connected Israel.

In a connection Sunday, nan British authorities said nan aerial assets will bolster nan U.K.’s existing cognition against nan Islamic State group successful Syria and Iraq arsenic good arsenic intercepting “any airborne attacks wrong nan scope of our existing missions, arsenic required.”

Asked by The Associated Press whether nan further jets person been transferred to nan U.K.’s aerial guidelines successful Cyprus, a spokesperson said a “number of aircraft” person been “temporarily moved” from Romania to bolster our existing footprint successful nan region. The charismatic didn’t disclose nan nonstop location for “reasons of operational security.”

Israel said Sunday that 99% of much than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles Iran had launched were intercepted.

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Iran’s onslaught connected Israel, drafting parallels to nan warfare ravaging his ain state wherever Russia has besides utilized Iran-made drones.

“We successful Ukraine cognize very good nan scary of akin attacks by Russia, which uses nan aforesaid Shahed drones and Russian missiles, nan aforesaid strategies of wide aerial strikes,” he said.

“Every effort must beryllium made to forestall a further escalation successful nan Middle East. Iran’s actions frighten nan full region and nan world, conscionable arsenic Russia’s actions frighten a larger conflict, and nan evident collaboration betwixt nan 2 regimes successful spreading panic must look a resolute and agreed consequence from nan world,” he said successful a station connected X.

“It is captious that nan United States Congress make nan basal decisions to fortify America’s friends astatine this captious time,” Zelenskyy said.

LONDON — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed that U.K. subject jets changeable down “a number of Iranian onslaught drones” during an onslaught connected Israel.

Sunak says nan Royal Air Force sent further planes to nan Middle East to thief intercept airborne strikes aft Tehran announced it had launched an battle connected Saturday.

“It’s clear that Iran is wished to sow discontent and destabilize nan region, its ain backyard,” Sunak told nan BBC connected Sunday. “If this onslaught had been successful, nan fallout for location information would beryllium difficult to overstate.”

Sunak is expected to clasp an urgent telephone pinch U.S. President Joe Biden and different Group of Seven leaders later Sunday.

BERLIN — German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock says nan Iranian onslaught connected Israel had brought nan region “to nan separator of nan abyss.”

“With its fierce behaviour, pinch which it wants to destabilize a full region, Iran is isolated. And Israel’s capabilities person shown that Israel is strong, Israel tin take sides itself,” Baerbock said successful Berlin.

“I telephone connected each actors successful nan region to enactment prudently. The escalatory spiral must beryllium broken. We must together find a measurement to extremity nan violence,” Baerbock said.

She said Germany and its friends were discussing “consequences” pursuing nan Iranian attack, without elaborating.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, speaking to reporters during a travel to China, said he would return portion successful a gathering of G7 leaders later Sunday.

“We will do everything to forestall a further escalation,” Scholz said. “We tin only pass everyone, particularly Iran, against continuing successful this way.”

Scholz is owed to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang connected Tuesday.

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said his state has nary volition of continuing nan subject cognition against Israel.

“At this juncture, nan Islamic Republic of Iran has nary volition of continuing protect operations,” he posted connected X, and added: “But if necessary, it will not hesitate to protect its morganatic interests against immoderate caller aggression.”

Amirabdollahian called nan onslaught “exercising nan correct of morganatic defense” and said it shows Iran’s responsible attack to “regional and world bid and security.”

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis urged Iran and Israel successful his Sunday’s dream to debar caller actions that could spark “a spiral of violence” and resistance nan Middle East deeper into conflict.

“I travel successful dream and pinch concern, moreover pain, nan news that came successful nan past fewer hours astir nan aggravation of nan business successful Israel, owed to nan involution by Iran,” Francis said, addressing pilgrims from nan model overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

The pontiff made different “heartfelt appeal” to instantly extremity immoderate action that could further intensify nan ongoing conflict successful nan Middle East.

“No 1 should frighten nan beingness of others. Instead, each nations should broadside pinch bid and thief Israelis and Palestinians to unrecorded successful 2 States broadside by side, successful safety,” he added. “Enough war, capable attacks, capable violence. Yes to dialogue, yes to peace.”

The pope has often called for an contiguous ceasefire successful Gaza, asking conflicting parties to travel nan way of negotiations.

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s Foreign Ministry connected Sunday summoned nan ambassadors of nan U.K., Germany and France aft nan 3 European nations condemned an Iranian onslaught connected Israel.

The ministry said connected its website that nan ambassadors were called successful complete their governments’ “irresponsible stances” connected nan Iranian cognition against Israel, which was successful retaliation for a onslaught wide blamed connected Israel connected an Iranian consular building successful Syria earlier this period that killed 2 Iranian generals.

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its “utmost concern” Sunday pursuing Iranian strikes connected Israel.

It said it hoped that Middle Eastern governments would resoluteness their problems done governmental and negotiated means.

It besides said that Western states had stopped nan U.N. Security Council from “adequately responding” to nan April 1 onslaught connected Iran’s consulate building successful Syria.

“We person many times warned that unresolved crises passim nan Middle East — chiefly successful nan area of nan Israeli-Palestinian conflict — are often being fueled by irresponsible and provocative actions and will lead to accrued tensions successful nan area,” nan ministry said successful a statement.

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran has sent a connection to nan U.S. informing Washington against practice pinch Israel successful immoderate subject cognition again Tehran pursuing its unprecedented onslaught connected Israel.

The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, nan main of unit of nan Iranian equipped forces, arsenic saying that Tehran had communicated its connection to nan U.S. done nan Swiss Embassy, which handles U.S. liking successful Iran successful nan absence of negotiated relations.

A cleric chants slogans during an anti-Israeli gathering successful beforehand of nan British Embassy successful Tehran, Iran, early Sunday, April 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

President Ebrahim Raisi sent a connection praising Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard for launching nan attack, saying it had taught a instruction to nan “Zionist regime.” He besides warned that “any caller escapade against nan interests of nan Iranian federation would beryllium met pinch a heavier and regretful consequence from nan Islamic Republic of Iran.”

State TV meantime broadcast interviews pinch group connected nan thoroughfare who praised nan Iranian rocket and drone onslaught connected Israel and thanked nan Iranian military.

Hamas has demanded a “clear written commitment” that Israel will retreat from nan Gaza Strip during nan 2nd of a three-phase cease-fire deal, a elder Egyptian charismatic and a Hamas charismatic said Sunday.

The Palestinian militant group said Saturday it submitted its consequence to a six-week cease-fire connection to Egyptian and Qatari mediators. It said it’s still committed to its demands for a imperishable cease-fire, Israeli service withdrawal from each parts of Gaza, nan return of displaced group to their homes, intensifying nan travel of assistance and nan commencement of reconstruction. Israel said earlier Sunday that Hamas had rejected nan latest connection for a woody submitted past week.

“We corroborate our readiness to scope a woody regarding a superior speech of prisoners betwixt nan 2 sides,” Hamas said.

The connection presented to some sides calls for a six-week cease-fire successful Gaza, during which Hamas would merchandise 40 of nan much than 100 hostages nan group is holding successful nan enclave successful speech for 900 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, including 100 serving agelong sentences for superior crimes.

The Egyptian charismatic said Hamas wants “a comprehensive, phased deal” that included ending nan war, Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and an statement of each hostages successful return for a ample number of Palestinian prisoners. Israel says it wants to destruct Hamas’ subject and governing capabilities.

The officials said nan consequence besides included an summation successful nan number of Palestinian prisoners Hamas wants released from Israel.

The officials from Egypt and Hamas said connected information of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to disclose specifications from nan delicate negotiations. They said that Hamas’ consequence included nan unrestricted return of displaced Palestinians successful bluish Gaza done nan 2 main south-north thoroughfares.

The Egyptian charismatic said mediators will cautiously reappraisal nan consequence earlier calling for different information of talks.

Leaders of nan Group of Seven industrialized nations will clasp a video convention Sunday to talk an unprecedented Iranian onslaught against Israel.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, whose state holds nan G7 rotating presidency, wrote connected X: “We definitive beardown interest astir a further destabilization of nan region and proceed to activity to debar it.”

U.S. President Joe Biden said nan gathering is “to coordinate a agreed negotiated consequence to Iran’s brazen attack.” The langua

The Jordanian Council of Ministers says that its forces “dealt with” parts of nan Iranian onslaught that flew complete its territory, “to forestall them from endangering nan information of our citizens and residential and inhabited areas.”

It said that fragments fell successful aggregate places but did not origin immoderate important harm aliases injuries.

The German Foreign Ministry said successful a recreation advisory Saturday that nan Jordanian aerial unit had changeable down Iranian drones complete Jordan, including complete nan capital, Amman.

Jordan’s airspace was reopened connected Sunday morning.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida connected Sunday condemned Iran’s onslaught connected Israel arsenic a move to worsen nan ongoing Middle East situation.

“I americium profoundly concerned and powerfully condemn nan escalation,” he told reporters.

Kishida said his authorities will do nan utmost for nan information of Japanese citizens successful nan region, and stressed nan value of negotiated effort to forestall further escalation of tensions. He said location has been nary study of wounded to Japanese nationals truthful acold from nan attack.

Kishida made nan remark soon aft returning to Tokyo aft a weeklong sojourn to nan United States, wherever he stressed Japan’s domiciled arsenic a committed partner for nan U.S. successful world information and different issues.

The main of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard says nan cognition against Israel was much successful than expected.

Gen. Hossein Salami, successful an question and reply pinch authorities TV, said they were still collecting accusation but that “the portion of nan hits that we person elaborate and documented reports from nan section show that this cognition was much successful.”

He besides said nan Iranian forces had carried retired a constricted cognition that matched “the evil that nan Zionist force had done.”

Salami described nan Israeli aerial defense strategy arsenic complex, multi-layered and precocious and said passing done this strategy was a very difficult task.

“It intends designing an cognition that tin walk drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles done this abstraction and destruct them (targets) connected nan crushed pinch highly precocious accuracy,” he said.

Hamas connected Sunday praised Iran’s unprecedented rocket and drone onslaught connected Israel, saying it was a “deserved consequence to nan crime” of a onslaught connected Iran’s consulate successful Syria 2 weeks ago.

The onslaught connected nan Iranian negotiated compound connected April 1 killed 2 Iranian generals and was wide attributed to Israel.

Hamas, an Islamic militant group backed by Iran, besides appealed for continued support for its warfare pinch Israel successful Gaza, now successful its seventh month. Hamas directed nan entreaty astatine Arab and Islamic nations, arsenic good arsenic Iran-backed groups successful nan region.

Hamas said successful nan connection that it is fighting for “the correct of our Palestinian group to state and independency and nan constitution of its Palestinian authorities pinch Jerusalem arsenic its capital.”

Hamas has been branded a panic statement by nan West and has rejected a alleged two-state solution, alternatively seeking Israel’s destruction.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group says it fired dozens of rockets toward Israeli subject posts successful Syria’s Israeli-occupied Golan Heights early Sunday aft an Israeli airstrike killed 1 personification successful Lebanon.

The group said nan onslaught was successful retaliation for Israeli airstrikes overnight connected towns and villages successful confederate Lebanon that killed and wounded “civilians.”

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Israeli airstrikes deed areas including nan separator villages of Kfar Kila and Odeisseh, arsenic good arsenic nan municipality of Khiam. It said nan airstrike connected Khiam, a fewer miles from nan border, killed 1 personification and wounded others.

The speech early Sunday came arsenic Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles toward Israel successful an unprecedented revenge ngo for nan April 1 airstrike connected nan Iranian consulate successful nan Syrian capital, Damascus.

Israel connected Sunday hailed nan interception of virtually each of nan much than 300 Iranian missiles and drones targeting its territory arsenic a important strategical success.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted connected societal level X: “We intercepted. We blocked. Together, we will win.”

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant added that “the Iranian onslaught was blocked successful nan astir awesome way, together pinch our partners, nan Americans and others.”

The Israeli service spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said that 99% of much than 300 launches, including drones, surface-to-surface missiles and cruise missiles, were intercepted extracurricular Israeli territory. He said only a fewer sewage through, causing insignificant harm to an aerial guidelines and injuring a 7-year-old woman successful different location.

The successful interceptions travel astatine a clip erstwhile Israel is bogged down successful its warfare against Hamas successful Gaza, triggered by nan militants’ deadly Oct. 7 onslaught connected confederate Israel. At nan commencement of nan war, Israel vowed to crush Hamas and bring backmost hostages nan militants had taken connected Oct. 7. Yet Hamas, while importantly weakened, remains standing, and dozens of hostages are still successful Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s agency said Sunday that Hamas has rejected nan latest connection for a impermanent cease-fire successful Gaza, which would was to see nan merchandise of astir 40 hostages held by nan Islamic militants.

The connection had been presented to Hamas a week agone by mediators Qatar, Egypt and nan United States.

The Israeli connection said that Israel had shown elasticity successful nan negotiations. It alleged that Hamas leader Yehya Sinwar “continues to return advantage of nan tensions pinch Iran” and seeks a wider location escalation.

The connection came conscionable hours aft Iran launched much than 300 drones and missiles astatine Israel early Sunday, pinch Israel saying 99% of nan launches were intercepted.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant connected Sunday called Iran “a state of terror” aft Tehran launched hundreds of drones and missiles toward Israel successful an unprecedented attack.

“The Iranian onslaught was blocked successful nan astir awesome way, together pinch our partners, nan Americans and others ... The full world saw coming who is Iran — a state of terror,” Gallant said.

The attack, little than 2 weeks aft a suspected Israeli onslaught successful Syria that killed 2 Iranian generals successful an Iranian consular building, marked nan first clip Iran has launched a nonstop subject battle connected Israel, contempt decades of enmity making love backmost to nan country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The U.N. Security Council called an emergency gathering for 4 p.m. EDT (2000 GMT) connected Sunday, aft Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles astatine Israel.

“The gravity and measurement of nan attacks is unprecedented,” Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan wrote successful a missive to nan assembly precocious Saturday calling for nan meeting.

The Israeli military’s spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Iran fired scores of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles — pinch nan immense mostly intercepted extracurricular Israel’s borders.

He said warplanes intercepted complete 10 cruise missiles alone, besides extracurricular Israeli airspace.

He said a fistful of missiles managed to onshore successful Israel.

Rescuers said 1 onslaught critically wounded a 10-year-old woman successful a Bedouin Arab municipality successful confederate Israel, while Hagari said different rocket struck an service base, causing ray harm but nary injuries.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for an contiguous halt to hostilities successful nan Middle East.

“I powerfully condemn nan superior escalation represented by nan large-scale onslaught launched connected Israel by nan Islamic Republic of Iran this evening,” Guterres wrote successful a connection Saturday night.

“I americium profoundly alarmed astir nan very existent threat of a devastating region-wide escalation. I impulse each parties to workout maximum restraint to debar immoderate action that could lead to awesome subject confrontations connected aggregate fronts successful nan Middle East,” Guterres wrote. “I person many times stressed that neither nan region nor nan world tin spend different war.”

The French authorities forcefully condemned nan Iranian aerial onslaught connected Israel.

French overseas curate Stéphane Séjourné said successful a connection Saturday that successful “taking specified an unprecedented action, Iran has crossed a caller period pinch respect to its destabilizing activities and is risking a imaginable subject escalation.”

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote early Sunday connected X that Germany condemns “in nan strongest imaginable position nan ongoing attack, which could plunge an full region into chaos.

“Iran and its proxies must extremity it immediately,” Baerbock wrote. “We connection Israel our afloat solidarity astatine this time.”

Likewise, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his federation “unequivocally condemns Iran’s airborne attacks against Israel.”

“We guidelines pinch Israel. After supporting Hamas’ sadistic October 7 attack, nan Iranian regime’s latest actions will further destabilize nan region and make lasting bid much difficult,” Trudeau said successful a statement.

“We support Israel’s correct to take sides itself and its group from these attacks.”

U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said further Royal Air Force jets and aerial refueling tankers person been sent to nan Middle East to bolster Britain’s existing cognition against nan Islamic State Group successful Iraq and Syria.

He said nan jets “will intercept airborne attacks wrong scope of our existing missions,” but did not corroborate whether RAF jets had already changeable down immoderate Iranian drones.

Meanwhile, nan spokesperson of Argentine President Javier Milei says nan leader will cancel a travel to Denmark and return to Buenos Aires owed to Iran’s onslaught connected Israel.

A connection from statesmanlike spokesperson Manuel Adorni said Milei was flying location to shape a “crisis committee successful ray of nan latest events successful Israel, to return complaint of nan business and coordinate actions pinch nan presidents of nan Western world.”

A artillery of Israel’s Iron Dome defense rocket system, deployed to intercept rockets, sits successful Ashkelon, confederate Israel, Aug. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit, File)

The onslaught poses nan latest situation to Israel’s aerial defense system, which already has been moving overtime to header pinch incoming rocket, drone and rocket attacks passim the six-month warfare against Hamas.

Here’s a person look astatine nan multilayered system.

U.S. officials opportunity American subject forces person downed immoderate Iran-launched onslaught drones flying toward Israel.

That is according to a U.S. defense charismatic and 2 U.S. officials who said connected nan information of anonymity to talk nan matter. The defense charismatic said nan effort to intercept nan onslaught was continuing.

In this image released by nan White House, President Joe Biden, 3rd from right, meets pinch members of nan National Security squad regarding nan unfolding rocket attacks connected Israel from Iran, Saturday, April 13, 2024, successful nan Situation Room of nan White House successful Washington. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP)

Since Iran announced its onslaught Saturday against Israel, aerial ambush sirens person gone disconnected successful Jerusalem, successful bluish and confederate Israel, successful nan Negev region, successful nan Shomron area and successful nan Dead Sea region.

— Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Lolita C. Baldor successful Washington and Mike Balsamo successful New York contributed.

The Israeli service has ordered residents of nan Golan Heights successful nan northbound and Nevatim, Dimona and Eilat successful nan southbound to enactment adjacent to a protected abstraction — specified arsenic a shelter, stairwell aliases soul room — until further notice.

Residents must beryllium capable to scope nan protected spaces arsenic soon arsenic aerial ambush sirens are activated, nan connection said.

“We inquire nan nationalist to travel nan instructions of nan Home Front Command regarding nan business and hold for further instructions,” nan connection said.

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency says Tehran has fired ballistic missiles astatine targets wrong of Israel. The announcement came soon aft Iran said it fired dozens of bomb-carrying drones.

Slow-moving Shahed-136 drones person been seen successful nan skies complete Iran. However, those are much easy changeable down.

Israel has rocket defense systems tin of targeting ballistic missiles. However, successful a monolithic onslaught involving aggregate drones and missiles for illustration nan run launched precocious Saturday by Iran, nan likelihood of a onslaught making it done is higher.

The Israel Defense Forces says that it is prepared to take sides itself against a monolithic drone onslaught launched by Iran.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, nan army’s spokesperson, said nan state is intimately monitoring nan drones that are headed to Israel.

“Our protect and violative capabilities are astatine nan highest level of readiness,” he said. “Together pinch our partners, nan Israel Defense Forces is operating astatine full-force to take sides nan State of Israel and nan group of Israel.”

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said Saturday that nan United States “will guidelines pinch nan group of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran.”

The Pentagon reported that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had spoken pinch his Israeli counterpart “and made clear that Israel could count connected afloat U.S. support to take sides Israel against immoderate attacks by Iran and its location proxies.”

National information advisor Jake Sullivan besides said pinch his counterpart to reenforce Washington’s “ironclad commitment” to Israel’s security.

Israel says it has closed its airspace after Iran launched dozens of drones against it precocious Saturday.

Israeli aviation authorities said they were closing nan country’s airspace to each flights arsenic of 12:30 a.m. section clip (5:30 p.m. EDT).

The onslaught precocious Saturday marked nan first clip Iran had ever launched a subject battle connected Israel, contempt decades of enmity making love backmost to nan country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iran has a immense arsenal of drones and missiles. Tehran’s prime of nan Shahed-136 drones some springiness Israel and its friends hours to sprout down nan bomb-carrying drones. For nan clip being, it does not look Iran has utilized immoderate of its ballistic missiles successful nan attack, which would airs a greater consequence to Israel.