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>> hello, i'm alex marquardt. welcome to the cnn newsroom. we are following breaking news. iran has launched an attack act against israel. if you're just joining us dozens of iranian drones are now bound for israel as well as cruise missiles, according to the israeli news media yeah, this of course, leaving the entire middle east and beyond very much on edge is forces are planning to intercept as many of those aircraft and missiles as possible. the united states has said they will help with those interceptions at best they can at this hour. however, we do not yet know what the results of these attacks may be just moments ago, the white house said that this attack is expected to unfold over the next few hours. it is just past midnight in israel, we have got reporters and analysts all over the map as we try practice news including mj lee at the white house, jeremy diamond in jerusalem, clarissa ward, and tel aviv and ben wedeman in

beirut. i want to get straight to our ben wedeman who is in lebanon, a-band, if you could please bring us up to speed with the latest what is iran using out to attack israel? >> well, as we heard just an hour ago, that the ron had launched drones in the direction of israel. now, we heard but also that the united states is going to try to intercept anything that flies in the direction of israel. israeli military spokesman are saying it could take hours for those drones to reach israeli territory. and as you said, cruise missiles as well, according to israeli media, have been launched in the directory correction of israel. now as a result, is rarely airspace has been closed jordanian airspace has been closed. iraqi airspace has been closed israel, of course, we knew even before this news came out about the launch of drones and cruise missiles that tomorrow, all schools and

universities cities in israel have been canceled. we understand it in haifa, bomb shelters have now been opened. so essentially, the region is waiting to see when those projectiles reach israel. will they actually hit anything? as we know, israel has the ability, along with united's tate's to track them as they fly in the direction of israel. and we've seen that way, it's the arrow nt missile system, the iron droning in other means, whether israel will be able to actually shoot all of them down before they actually hit the ground. alex clarissa you were showing live pictures of that tel aviv skyline. one of the major questions is, of course, what the targets are intended to be. now, there is a sense that if iran does not want to escalate this, that they won't go, for example, for civilian centers, they will won't try to target downtown tel aviv where you are.

obviously, we don't know what those targets are going to be, but what is the israeli government saying to its citizens in order? to stay safe in a way that we might be able to glean what it is they believe those intended targets to be >> well essentially they're saying this is a moment for caution. this is a moment to listen carefully to what you're being told to do this as a moment not to panic. this is a moment for unity as you heard, ben wedeman saying there fools are closed universities are closed, camps, are closed. no gatherings of more than one people everyone here being urged just to keep a close eye on the news on their phones and pay attention to what they're told to do. >> i do think that the >> prevailing wisdom had been that iran was telegraphing this for some time, that they had made it very clear they felt it was necessary to respond to israel's attack on april 1 and damascus is that killed seven

iranian officials, quds forces according to the israelis but now the question is, are they able to retaliate in a way that does not escalate, are they able to find that so-called goldilocks spot and the fear is, of course that given the backdrop, given the tensions, given the fact that we are really in kind of unprecedented moment, that there are so many things that could go wrong that there are some so many potentially unintended consequences that could lead us into a regional conflagration that very few people across the region actually want to see. you have had us centcom commander general erik kurilla here for two days. he just left talking about how the us will work with israel israel to deter any kind of attack. but certainly there is a sense that this is the precipice of a moment that could turn into something much larger if cooler

heads don't prevail. and if the region is not able to collectively come together and avert an all out catastrophe. so certainly tensions are high, but i would not say that we are our yet in a panic stations moment. these drones flying very slowly as we have heard over and over again, it will be ours. the real question becomes whether they are then accompanied by attacks from proxies missile attacks. what those targets could be alex's pertaining to your initial question, we don't yet know everybody waiting and watching very closely. to see what will come. >> this idea of an iranian retaliation, while also not trying to escalate, is such an extraordinary, difficult needle to thread. and it is one that the united states and its allies, both in the region and in europe and elsewhere, are trying to but make sure that iran and israel essentially do threat it carefully in a way to avoid this escalation, i want

to get to jeremy diamond, who's in jerusalem jeremy, what have the israeli has been saying about how they may respond to this iranian attack. because as we're seeing now, this is not proxies yet. perhaps coming from other countries. this is an attack from iranian soil, raising the possibility of an israeli response. against iranian soil >> yeah, like there's no question that in recent days, israeli officials have been trying to deter this very scenario a direct attack by iranian forces launched from a rain iranian soil directed at israeli soil. and indeed, in trying to deter it, they have been warning that an iranian attack on israeli soil in that context would result in an unequal response from israel, meaning an israeli attack directed at iranian soil. now the question that i have now is if israel is able to intercept all of these drones, or the

majority of these drones, does that change the calculus from israel? but of course we don't know that this attack from iran as of yet is limited solely to these drones. we could also see cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, which take a considerably shorter amount of time to actually reach israeli soil that could there'll be launched by iran. i do have some new information for you though, alex, earlier we reported that it was dozens of drones. i'm now told that the latest israeli estimate is that there are over 100 drones that have been launched by iran towards israeli soil. this is being described to me by sources as a very large scale attack by iran. and what we are trying to confirm at this hour is whether or not this involves additional sources of attack by iran that could changed the game in terms of how much of a response israel feels compelled

to deliver here but that is something that we will be monitoring very, very closely over the coming hours. >> yeah, we >> certainly will it certainly underscores the type of response the significant response that iran is carrying out now against israel have been showing that shot of the tel aviv skyline. we've gotten used to seeing that picture for the past six months. and the interceptions of the rockets coming from gaza. but what is coming? coming towards israel right now in terms of those drones and those missiles, is a lot more significant than those hamas rockets. i want to get straight to mj lee at the white house, mj. what are you hearing from the white house? >> well, alex, as you know, the white house has been on high alert for days and days now, preparing for exactly the scenario that is now currently underway. a senior administration suasion official from here confirming that many drones have been launched from inside iran into israel. they expect that number to really be just north of what we had

reported coming into this and just to underscore, of course, the gravity of this president biden was set to finish off the weekend in rehoboth beach. he has now cut that trip short and has just returned to the white house walking straight back into to the oval office where later today we expect him to, of course, convene his team of national security advisors and they of course, in turn, have been in close contact with their israeli counterparts. parts in the region. as well as all as all of this has unfolded. and we saw moments ago, the national security council seeing in a statement that they expect that this attack is likely to unfold over a number of hours you take into account just the travel time of some of these drones and yeah, we certainly expect that this is going to be a late night here at the white house with the president continuing to get updated as this situation unfolds i do think it's just

worth noting a couple couple of things that we have been reporting leading up to this very moment that's important from here are stamps here at the white house. us officials had said that they expected that iran would be directly involved in launching these attacks into israel. but they had also said that that it is certainly possible that proxies and other affiliated groups could also be involved. so there's that we also know that iran was expected to attack multiple targets in israel, but there could also be other targets, other assets in the region that are also targeted. so it could be sort of further reaching that what we are currently aware of and then of course the idea that the us is ready and willing to intercept any weapons if feasible. as this unfold. so we saw the us moving our extra forces into the region in preparation for all of this. so this kind of work and preparation has been

under de underway again for days now. and i think it's just it's hard to overstate how much this state on-state conflict between iran and israel was a scenario that the us had so much hoped to avoid. given the possibility of this now, ushering in potentially a real new chapter of real volatility and real unpredictability. of course, i should note, the us is also gone to great lengths to try to prevent a situation where iran is directly targeting any us personnel and assets in the region as well, including directly communicating with iran. so a lot of moving pieces here, but again, just just really have to underscore how much this is exactly that sort of almost worst-case scenario that the biden administration and i had hoped to avoid >> we do know that senior administration officials have been reaching out to their counterparts, jake sullivan, the national security advisor, lloyd austin, the secretary of

defense cedric leighton. now, i want to ask you a technical question because now we have this reporting from the israeli media that it's not just these drones. and now we're putting the number at more than 100 attack drones, but also cruise missiles. i don't think there's a number on the cruise missiles, just yet it's going to take hours for those drones to get to israel. >> how soon >> could those cruise missiles get to israeli airspace and how much more complicated does this make it for the israeli air defenses when you've got this combination of weaponry being used in this attack >> yeah, alex, that's going to be one of the biggest difficulties that didn't challenges that the israelis are going to face because there's cruise missiles and could basically get to two israeli airspace in about a little less than two hours. from launch soon travel. what about five to six times the speed of these drones that we believe the iranians are using probably from the head family, the same kind of family that is

being used in ukraine right now. those drones traveling about 110 miles per hour, cruise missiles of the type of the iranians generally go anywhere from 500 to 620 miles per hour. so that's the kind of difference in speed that we're looking at. that is definitely going to be a challenge for the israeli air defense system. and of course the associated radar systems as well as the intelligence systems that are tied into that general hurtling. is there a possibility that if proxy groups notably hezbollah in lebanon, the most capable of all the proxy groups arguably, then of course you have the houthis down south and yemen. is there a possibility that israel's air defenses, even if supported by the us, could get over it. whelmed. >> oh, absolutely. and what cedric has just said, alex, i think is a critically important point when you're tracking 100 drones coming in on a swarm like we're seeing, it's relatively easy to determine

where they are and when they're going to get there, suddenly now is cedric said, you're going to get cruise missiles dimensionally arriving earlier and overcome some of the air defense system. so it's going to distract from the very beginning when you launched from four or 500 miles away, that first launch was a distraction for what might be coming next. and i think we're seeing that right now when you add to that the potential for not only has below and the houthis in yemen, but also some pmf forces on popular mobilization. frank forces in syria on the border with jordan inside of iraq, that could potentially launch as well. you are going to overwhelm or at least challenge that integrated air defense system, which, which israel has. but that's why the united states has been coordinating so well with them over the last couple of days. and general kurilla has been in the area to really contribute to this. there's also some

potential for launch sites that will come over the c in the mediterranean. i am suggesting that you're going to see some us, naval assets there as well as some israeli naval capabilities that will intercept the danger here is as any military guy will tell you, it's the multiple fronts, the multiple directions, the multiple types of rocket, rockets and missiles that are coming in, which will confound any kind of electronic system. and it really goes down to the sensor and the shooter on the ground, the individual human being that's running those systems. these things don't automatically respond. it takes well trained soldiers and sailors and airmen to make picture it happens well, but yeah, it's gonna be overwhelming that hundred swarm drone attack along now with however many cruise missiles and potentially rockets and missiles coming out of southern

lebanon are going to be a challenge for israel they certainly are. and that challenge is coming and just a few hours time, we believe or i want to ask all our correspondence and analysts to stay with me. i would bring in a congressman, adam smith. he is the democratic ranking member of the armed services committee. congressman. thank you so much. for joining us the question of this retaliation by iran it was not a question of if, but when. and now we are looking at the possibility of not just what are the question of what happens in israel, but then what happens in terms of an israeli response. so how worried are you right now that there will be a significant escalation that i think i'm very worried and i think anyone paying attention, this should be very worried. i mean, it's gone back and forth on a number of different current levels. obviously, israel has been long concerned about ron sending supplies through syria to lebanon to arm has blah missiles have been flying back and forth between hezbollah in lebanon and israel for months

now obviously, there's the fight and gaza with hamas as well. and this is escalating. and i think both sides are assuming if they appear as strong as possible, it will force the other side to back down but there's really no end to that. if both sides have that approach. so after this attack by iran, it's going to be a very dangerous moment to see what comes next. >> but the consensus by experts and officials until now for the past six months was that iran didn't really want to get involved in this war directly. there were more than happy to see their proxy is going after us targets, coalition targets. and of course, israeli targets. do you think that that is changing now that iran will want a bit more of a direct role in this conflict, or do you think that this retaliation, at least in iran? funds hope is a one-off >> most likely it's a one-off, but you don't know. i mean, you can't know for sure. i mean, based on the way around,

responded to the killing of soleimani when we killed soleimani several years ago. now it strikes me as a one-off as you do the us, we have to have a proportional response to discourage you from doing this in the future but that's not 100% certain that that's a wrong approach. now, i heard an analyst earlier say and quite correctly that if iran really wanted to go all in on israel, they would unleash hezbollah in lebanon. that's the greatest track because that's right across the border. israel would not have the hours that they have now to see these drones and and potentially missiles if they come coming at them ron, to date hasn't done that. i think iran is planning on this being a one-off. but if missiles get through and hit israel, what, what does israel to do they strike back directly at ron? the risk of escalation is high for all of those reasons, even if at the moment i agree, i don't think ron wants that full-scale war, but

they may well stumble into it >> no doubt. has bulla is certainly among, if not the biggest concern right now, aside from what is incoming from iran congressman, what do you think the messaging is from the biden administration to israel in terms of a response is it to some extent you knew this was coming if it's not too bad, you just take it on chin or will the us be okay with israel say carrying out a response against iran proper >> well, i think the message israel is not take it on the chat. you'll be okay. it's what is in your long-term best interests here mean israel is sitting in the middle of a very dangerous neighborhood with iran and hezbollah and hamas, among others threatening them do they want to go all in on a conflict? i would say no and i think the biden administration will be advising them know that

they are in a vulnerable position and they should look to de-escalate across the board where possible. they still are very strong and able to defend themselves. >> they don't need >> to risk an all out war to prove that point. and i also think it underscores the need to get to a ceasefire in gaza to get humanitarian assistance in to gaza, and to have an end point to that conflict completely admitting israel's right to defend itself there without question. but things need to calm down or israel is vulnerable in the region >> all right, congressman adam smith, ranking member of the armed services committee. thank you so much for your time and thoughts this evening. really appreciate it >> thanks for the chance >> and i want to bring in axial says barak ravid, who has been breaking so much news on this story today. of course, for the past six months, barack, we are now seeing an expansion can of of what, of the iranian assault essentially with the cruise missiles being added to the

drones, we now know it's more than 100 attack drones what are you hearing in terms of what us and israeli officials are expecting more from iran and from elsewhere in neighboring countries. >> hi alex what are you from israeli officials and from us officials that the drills were launched both from iran and from iraq and syria and at the moment, some of them were already intercepted especially by us forces what israeli officials tell me is that it will be something like 2:00 a.m. local time when the drones will reach israeli aerospace, that's i think something like an hour-and-a-half from now. >> or less. >> and the israeli aspiration, i think in both the us aspirations to intercept as many drones and cruise missiles as possible outside of israeli

airspace there was an interesting report and reuters that said that the jordanian militaries also preparing to shoot down any the drone that any iranian drone that enters jordanian airspace. so i think that's the goal right now to intercept as many drones as possible before they reach israeli years brock, what do we know about the back channeling the private conversations over the past few days between iran and the united states around this retaliation i think we can say, you know, can be quite certain right now and we'll be seen numbers of drones and cruise missiles that were >> launched from iran that all the efforts to limit this attack and to make the race maybe recalculate there are failed the doing the last few days sent messages to the us

through several arab countries that if the us gets involved in the fighting between iran and israel, then he ran, we'll see us basis and forces in the region as illegitimate target and i think it will be interested, interesting to see whether the fact that us forces are involved in intercepting those drones and cruise missiles, whether iran will see this as a pretext for attacking us forces in the region yeah, it's an excellent question. of course, the us will say that there are helping defend israel and not going on. the offense. >> but barack more broadly, i >> mean, we haven't really talked much about the conflict in gaza tonight. how much do you think that this could potentially reshape? what we've seen over the past few months >> well, i think that this war has gone into a new phase phase that from day one, the biden administration tried to avoid of this becoming a regional war. this is now a regional war. even if this will, this fight between israel, iran will

die down. and i know a day or two or three days a week. >> it's a >> new phase. and when you, when you look at it like that, then the gaza war over all of a sudden becomes a sayyed. and i think that these haley plans for our at least the announcements about an operation in rafah. this thing is now in the freezer i don't think anybody will go back to this thing in the foreseeable future and right now, the focus is only on how to contain this direct fight between israel and iran >> and how do you think that this impacts how the israeli public sees what is going on? it's one thing for hamas to fire rockets in the iron dome to essentially take them all out and give israelis that feeling of security. but now you've got a which is a whole different ball game. >> so how do you think that >> changes the israeli public's thinking and that pressure at already been

growing on. prime minister netanyahu because the hostages are still being held you know, alex i wanted to be one of the most popular twitter accounts in since the war started >> is an israeli twitter account. nobody knows who's operating it, but it's called news from a year ago. and today when the iranians, shortly before they fire their drones and their cruise missiles this account posted a video of netanyahu from a year ago where he pushed back on the warnings from the intelligence services that the judicial overhaul that is pushing is creating a damages to israeli security. and is encouraging israel's enemies to attack it. and back at the time, exactly a year ago, he said israel's enemies will never attack us because they know it will be a mistake. and i think that when you put those two together, i think many, many israelis look at

what's going on. the war in gaza is stuck. there's no hostage deal. insight, hizballah's still shelling the northern border and israel, it's being attacked directly from when we run. i don't think anybody thought this is where israel is going, it's going to be a year ago. >> yeah. no doubt there is going to be a reckoning for prime minister netanyahu and others once this conflict is over, brock review. thank you so much, terrific. according is always, i'm truly be talking to you again before too long. i just want to note that a short time ago we had a graphic up earlier that said that president joe biden would be addressing the nation that was an error. we just want to clarify that and we regret that mistake. but i do want to go to mj lee at the white house mj. what more do we know about what the president is doing with his advisors right now, there had been plans for a meeting of his national security advisors. >> yeah, the president has just returned back to the white house and he he is back in the

oval office. so going directly to work, we mentioned before that he was supposed to spend the rest of this weekend basically in rehoboth beach, but he ended up cutting that trip short for it so that he could be here at the white house and meet with top members of his national security team, some of whom we have seen coming here to the white house in arriving here, including defense secretary lloyd austin others, of course, like the secretary of state, the cia director, national security adviser jake sullivan, that entire team he will be convening here to brief the president on this situation that is unfolding with iran directly attacking israel you know, so far for alex, we have not heard directly from the president himself since confirmation of these strikes being launched whether it is a paper states man or on camera, i wouldn't rule out the possibility of that. one of those things in the coming hours or in the coming days,

just simply given the gravity of the situation and it certainly feels like a moment when the american people would appreciate some sort of explanation from the president on exactly what's going on and partying peculiarly, the us's involvement and how this may or may not affect us personnel, for example. so a lot of questions that people have, probably as they are watching seeing these events unfold. but again, we are waiting to see whether we will at some point here directly from the president. but for right now, the task at hand for him is getting a full picture of the situation that is unfolding and he is going to be meeting again with his top national security advisers, alex. >> and it could be a very long evening for the president and his national security advisors mj lee, stable with us as well as the rest of you want to bring in norman rule. he is the former us national intelligence manager for iran. norm, you are in the intelligence community for decades few no, iran better than you here in the united states. i just want to let's start with a broad question of what do you make of what we're

seeing more than 100 drones coming from iran, as well as according to the israeli media cruise missiles that had been fired by the regime in tehran good afternoon. >> it's this attack is folding out, rolling out in a relatively consistent manner with iran doctrines sworn tactics the drones are small boats in the persian gulf followed by a ron's powerful missile force. and then drawing upon proxies potentially two i meant that capacity against an adversary. so in this sense, it's a very consistent behavior by the iranian government >> so what more could we expect from iran and its proxies this evening? >> well, i think the question is, not only what more but how long they will play this out. iran has an embassy in yemen manned by senior revolutionary guard official. they have intelligence personnel. if no dot coordinated with the houthis. iran also is certain coordinated with lebanese

hezbollah. so i think there's going to others already in place a general plan, having that has developed over the past week, in which they play a role within the limitations iran is set >> so are you saying you do believe that there will be ahez the houthis in the coming hours very likely show that they're standing with iran at this moment, that they are willing to put some skin in the game. but again, i think for lebanese hezbollah, they end and also iran don't wish to undertake steps that could lead to a conventional war because that war is likely to inflict significant punish and punishment on the various regimes. and perhaps end of those regimes >> what did you take away about what iran hopes will unfold in terms of whether the conflict escalates are not from their public pronouncements and the private messaging over the past two weeks since that is really striking i can damascus

>> well, there seemed to be a little doubt that iran would undertake some direct action against israel, and that iran's actions would be thoughtful and based upon its own capabilities and perceptions of adversary weaknesses so that again pushes you towards drones, missiles, some cyber perhaps, and proxies at the same time, if you're in tehran, you've got to worry about a potential israeli retaliation. and israel's missile cyber drone special operations and other capabilities are significant and there are for many reports over the years of israel being able to conduct very significant damaging operations within iran. iran doesn't wish to undertake an opera campaign that in essence leads to a series of embarrassing domestic defeats, particularly in a world where it has such a terrible economy and it shows such a large portion of its population opposed to the regime itself >> israel, of course, has been mired in a war for the past six

months in gaza. they've been facing rocket fire and other kinds of attacks from hezbollah in the north to the point where tens of thousands of israeli citizens have had to move out of their homes. we should note same thing on the other side of the border. and in lebanon what do you think the appetite in israel or by the israelis is to broaden this out and to perhaps strike back at iran after what we see tonight. >> there is no evidence that israel would seek to broaden this into a conventional conflict in the region at the same time, the nature of a ron's attack. what happens during that attack is going to dictate israel's response. there's likely going to be some public and perhaps private back-channel messaging by the various parties to indicate perhaps this is as far as we're willing to go, if this is as far as you're willing to go, but it really comes down to a ron's objectives and iran will

have to achieve several things first, iran has got to punish israel and show that it defended enrons national pride. >> as a result, for the damascus attack attack. but secondly, it's going to want to show that despite israeli technology and us support, that is able to break through that and punish israel directly after that, i think is wrong, wants to show that it is cemented. it's growing regional posture and maintain contact with international players four it's international stature. the most important thing here that's happening is that there has been a red line for many years. neither sayyed would directly attack the other. that red line is being erased. and what that means is, even if this conflict ends quickly, we have an open potential for such actions to take place at anytime. in the future. this is an inflection point for the region >> why do you think israel decided to go after this building, which of course the iranians are claiming was a consulate. they killed seven

members of the irgc, one senior commander who we understand was in charge of syria and lebanon. he was not a household name for most of us, like soleimani was who was killed of course four years ago. why do you think israel decided to undertake that strike? >> well there were. seven senior revolutionary guards could force officials meeting in one location >> they were >> almost certainly meeting to review or plan existing and future operations directed against israel civilians. and israel interest in other locations. this would rip represented a significantly valuable targets for the israeli government. because removing those individuals, not only limits the damage those future operations, but it breaks apart the efficiency of the bureaucracy of iran in managing its various proxies, and it also demonstrates to

iranian proxy officials that israel can find them wherever they are and take significant actions as a result of their aggressive behavior. >> so to what extent is the iranian attack do you believe going to be somewhat reciprocal and that the targets in damascus were military. this was an official diplomatic building. do you have any expectation, for example, that iran would try to go after population centers and civilians since in israel generally are ron's attacks go after only civilian population centers, energy facilities. we saw that in saudi arabia through its proxies, indeed, hamas is thousands of rockets fired against israel have almost exclusively gone against civilian targets but in this case, the situation is little different. iran wants to show that it is an equal of the israeli government as a national governments and national government striking significant national security entities. i think most of their

targets, if not all of them will be military and government entities at the same time. they could miss and hit civilian targets >> the pentagon hasn't been terribly clear about what assets it is using to help israel in this situation. we know that the more assets have been moved into the region, but how do you think specifically the us is helping israel? knock these drones and these missiles out of the sky tonight there have been >> public reports that the united states has shared geospatial information, which would provide information on the number and frequency of launches within iran against israel likewise, there are reports that the united states has million military aircraft that are looking for and shooting down drums and perhaps missiles over iraq and perhaps syria. and i think last the united states would be using its vast and significant military capabilities in the

northern red sea and eastern mediterranean to support israel's air defense operative operations over israel itself. >> all right. norm roule, i'm gonna ask you to stay with us. we certainly want to continue this conversation, but right now i want to go to oren liebermann are correspondent at the pentagon. oren, i believe the secretary of defense, lloyd austin, he spoke with his israeli counterpart, yoav gallant earlier today before this attack was underway by iran. and what, what are we hearing? what are you hearing at the pentagon >> and general erik kurilla, the commander of us central command, was just in the region for a couple of days, not only meeting with the senior israeli military leadership, but also discussing the security situation in the region in anticipation of this attack, the us is very clearly ready to intercept whatever it can coming from iran, whether that's drones, cruise missiles, potentially ballistic missiles, or that we have seen no reports those have been launched, but the us and israel clearly on the same page here with trying to intercept as much as possible. so let's break down both from the us sayyed and the israeli sayyed. what that might look like the

us obviously has forces not only in iraq, syria, and jordan, but also as norman rule pointed out, there, there are us navy assets in the red sea. now those have not only from destroyers, but from us fighter aircraft intercepted houthi launches towards israel going north along the red sea to the us has shown the capability to do this. there are also assets on the ground, aerial defense assets that could try to pick off an intercept drones and cruise missiles launched depending of course, on their route, whether they come across iraq and syria they could also be launched traveling across saudi arabia and jordan. there are different options and different ways and routes for iran to try to target israel through these long-range options. of course, that also depends on what the target is within israel, whether it would be in the north, for example, in haifa, trying to target tel aviv, which is not only the population center, but also where the ministry of defense sits. or for example, trying to target dimona, which is the nuclear facility in israel. so all of these are different possibilities. we have also seen on flight tracking websites, on ads be exchanged that there was a us tanker in

the air and aerial refueling platform that strongly suggests there are us fighter because up in the air. so that might be another possibility for trong to intercept some of these drones are cruise missiles before they get to israel as barak ravid pointed out, the goal is likely to intercept as many as possible before they get to israel. and then of course, israel has its own very capable multi-layered aerial defense system, long-range would be arrow three, that's designed to intercept or be able to intercept ballistic missile so launches, there's the medium range david's sling. and then there's the short range iron dome that we've seen used repeatedly now, iran is very much aware as is hamas this is hezbollah that these systems are high-quality, but their flaw is that they can be overwhelmed with quantity. we have seen this and i've seen this on the ground in israel, a number of rockets fired and simply enough are fire that iron dome can't get to all of them now there is obviously much more time here to coordinate the response and be able to use not only iron dome at short range, but david's sling at a much longer range

but it seems that are runs goal here is to try to fire so much that israel can't intercept all of it and it will overwhelm the systems are right. iran is looking for some way to be able to claim some kind of victory here. so that's what we should be watching out. before in the course of the coming hours as we see not only how many were fired more than 100 drones at this point, then we're still waiting for a number of cruise missiles. but whether more is fired not only from iran whether it comes from hezbollah in lebanon as well, and potentially the houthis in yemen. alex, i will point out one more historical bit of context that may be sheds light on how we can expect this to play out in terms of what we hear from iran back and i think it was may 2018, iranian forces in syria fire 20 rockets at the occupied golan heights in israel. all of those were intercepted. there was no damage on the ground there. i was there on the ground, but iran then came out a short time later and said israel was lying. the rockets had done damage and then claimed victory. do we see something like that with what is obviously a much larger attack

coming from from iran itself. it's worth keeping that in mind as we see how this evening plays out >> yeah, >> it certainly will be right now. we know that there are more than 100 attack drones heading towards israel along with cruise missiles so it is a significant amount of firepower heading that way. it is almost 1:00 a.m. in the morning of horse in israel, jeremy diamond is jerusalem. jeremy, i understand you have new reporting. what are you hearing >> yeah, that's right, alex, i just spoke with an israeli military official who tells me that the israeli military intact and to try and intercepts these drones more than 100 of which have been launched now by iran before they reach israeli skies we know of course that the israel has been coordinating significantly with the us military and that us air defense assets could also be deployed to intercept some of these drones. and so the combination of that could mean that the majority of these drones could potentially be taken down before they even

reach israeli skies. we know of course that there is a significant lag time, hours of between a when these drones were launched from iran and when they are anticipated to make a to arrive in israeli skies. and so that gives the israeli military and its partners a significant amount of time to try and intercept them and the goal is indeed to do so before they enter israeli airspace, i'm also told that israel anticipates that iran may launch additional waves of drones that may be why the estimates that we got earlier have started to tick up. i was initially told dozens of drones fired, launched by iran that has since ticked up to over for a additionally, alex israel, this israeli military official would not yet confirm with 100% confidence that a cruise missiles it's have been launched, but he did say that israel is indeed monitoring other iranian assets for additional potential types of attacks, indicating that that is it's certainly the

expectation here in israel that these waves of drones will not be the only asset that iran uses as it carries out what is being described to me as a very large scale attack by iranian forces directed at israel. so those are the updates we have at the moment and we're also of course, alex waiting to see whether this is just going to becoming from iranian forces directly, or whether iran will also activate its proxies in the region. i think what's so so interesting about this moment that we're in is that for six months, we have been expecting that if a significant escalation happened to broaden this conflict between israel and hamas, that it would come from hezbollah, where iran, where israel and iran hezbollah have been exchanging near daily cross-fire, across border changes of fire but right now, it seems that the major escalation is instead going to come directly between israel and iran rather than via a

proxy forces. but again, waiting tother or not those proxy forces could also be pulled in such important points. jeremy, i mean, this is such a formidable attack, significant attack by iran, but they're crossing a huge amount of territory there. they're crossing places like iraq and jordan gordon in theory, where there are significant american air defenses and forces that will certainly contribute to the efforts to take down these drones and crews missiles. i want to note some new reporting from our mj lee at the white house. she's saying that president biden is meeting with his national security team right now to assess iran's attack on israel drill that meeting is now underway in the, in the situation room, according to a us official, general mark hertling, i want to get your sense of what jeremy just reported that there will now be efforts by the us to knock down these drones and missiles outside of israeli

airspace. how effective could that be >> i think it could be very effective. and first of all, jeremy's reporting is excellent, but i've got to give kudos to mr. rule because his assessment of the intelligence capability of the sensors again, i'll go back to that statement i made you earlier. the criticality of the radars, the overhead sensors, and even the satellite sensors to determine where these drones, missiles, rockets cruise missiles are all coming from is critically important. so a combination of the radars on those ships, and if you've ever been on a destroyer or a cruiser, the kind that are like in the gulf of aden and the red sea. and even in the mediterranean, you would know that each one of those ships have multiple radars that can pick up these devices. so it's the sensors, it's incurred. that's critical. what jeremy mentioned about the potential for the us defending the skies over israel before these system it was whatever they happen to be, whichever type happened to come in first >> yes, the us we'll defend against them and they have

capabilities on the ground, like patriot missiles and other types of air defense systems. so what i'd say alex, is the air defenders and the airman in the in the sky and the satellite watchers are very busy right now and they're looking again, i just say it one more time in multiple directions. the other point that you've made with barack ravid, i think as a port in an important one because israel is now going to be faced not only with missiles and rockets coming in from multiple directions. but they're facing a different kind of war. what they have in gaza is a counterterrorism, counterinsurgency fight. they're seeing the same thing as counterterrorism and rockets coming out of hezbollah in northern are in southern lebanon. what they're now seeing is a here conventional rocket, missile strike against a conventional force of iranians with a lot of proxies

when you start dividing up a country's capability and israel has experienced this before, where they trying not only to do a counterterrorism fight, but also a counterinsurgency and a conventional fight. it gets extremely complex and difficult and you have the military of that country looking in multiple directions to defend itself. i think that's what the swarms are trying to do to black out the israeli systems to strike them from different directions to cause complex attacks. and it's going to be very challenging if these continue as we've seen in the first couple hours of this fight kim dozer, i want to bring you into this conversation. i was struck by this statement from the national security council that they expect this retaliation by iran to go on for several hours they didn't say how many, of course, but they did put a fine enough points on it that they expect this to last for hours and and not more than that, i

wonder what you make of that and how they would have come to that conclusion >> i think the assumption is that israel will be able to shoot many of that first bali, of uavs that's headed its way. the armed drones >> so multiple volleys will be needed to try to make the kind of example that iran seems to want to make a picture that will go across the middle east and the arab world, showing some sort of massive damage in israel proper. the problem is that some of the main areas where iran might want to hit, like israel's pentagon have curia. it's in a populated part of tel aviv so if israel finds that iran is aiming at that, even if they don't hit it the push will beyond for the kinds of response that gets you

into escalation. i'm also taking a step back and thinking about not just the immediate coming hours when we're waiting to see what lands and where but what this means terms of in the run-up to this in many different iran watchers who been saying, but a direct strike on israel would be so new as to be horribly groundbreaking. >> and then it >> calls into question all of the other assumptions we've made like oh, yes, iran could make a new clear weapon. it's got enough fissile material to possibly make three nuclear weapons according to some estimates, but it wouldn't because it doesn't want to trigger an attack. well, it's taken the kind of step in these past few hours that can escalate and bring on a us response so we're in new territory on a number of different fronts and then the next thing i'm looking for is come monday with a un security council trying to react to this

what will russia and china do? iran has been arming russia with those. shahira drones that it's probably using right now against israel for russia's war on ukraine russia is probably going to hold out against any potential censure of iran as it has in the past. and that way we're gonna be seeing this this new axis forming or solidifying of russia, probably china and iran against the west no matter what those missiles hit or drones at this point, no missiles so far >> and jeremy diamond, we are getting more news about what iran is firing at israel, what more of you learned? >> yes, hugely significant news that will make the news of the drones really pale in comparison. and that is that iran is now saying that they have launched the first wave of ballistic missiles, firing

those at israel, according to iranian state media, these missiles travel at a far, far faster sir rates with some estimates putting it at about a dozen minutes between when they are launched from iran and when they could reach israeli soil. and this was ported in just the last five minutes or so. so we could be in a situation where we here, we're hearing sirens in parts of israel so in the coming minutes, if indeed those reports from iranian state media are accurate. but of course, ballistic missiles would carry a more significant payload and also potentially have a more significant impact within israel if indeed they make it through israel's defense systems. now we know that of course beyond the iron dome missile defense system, israel has a number of other air defense systems, many of which it has tested for the first time during the course of the last six months of this war. in part because ron's

proxy he's in the region have been firing missiles from various directions. just this past week, we saw israel test for the first time, a sea-based iron dome turn. dome system intercepting missiles that were fired by houthi rebels in yemen. we know that israel has tested, it's arrow defence missile defenses some as well. so there's no question that israel is prepared for a variety of aerial threats directed at its soil. but this will certainly be the biggest test of all of those air defense assets we've been reporting, of course, in the last hour that israel is going to try and intercept these drones outside of its airspace, whether or not it can do so with these ballistic missiles is another question. but certainly very, very significant news that iranian state media reporting that it has now fired the first wave of ballistic missiles at israeli directly >> all right. jeremy diamond, i want you to stay with us norm

roule, bring you back in and it please explain to us and our viewers what you think we could expect to see in the coming moments, you heard jeremy diamond say there now iranian state media is reporting that they have fired ballistic missiles. there had been previous reporting about cruise missiles and drones so it is almost 1:00 in the morning in israel. what could we expect to see in the coming moments? >> much depends on the reality of those comments. if they're genuine. and israel is able to with with us assistance, bring down these weapons than iran will be embarrassed that their weapons were not able to achieve anything and may likely continue attacks for that reason. at the same time, if these reports are true, then israel has got to consider whether it undertakes a counter or strike of some sort against iran to prevent further attacks. not because it wishes to escalate the conflict, but whether some sort of action b, it's cyber de, at a drone,

some other operation could degrade or ron's capability to fire additional ballistic missiles against israel >> general mark hertling norm there makes a good point. we should obviously be taking with a grain of salt what we're hearing from iranian state media here, they're the ones reporting that these first barrage of ballistic missiles has been fired at israel we've previously reported cruise missiles and drones but general hurtling to what extent do you think that this is a matter of minutes. can you lay out the timing of what we could expect to see? because obviously those drones are moving a lot slower than many of those missiles if they are indeed flying it, israel >> yes, we discussed this earlier, alex and i think what we're seeing is the potential for those dramas to continue the movement toward the israeli border. as israel prepares for it. and at the same time, the cruise missiles, if they have in fact been launched, could reach their much faster so the

cruise missiles are going to overwhelm the big systems as alex or as oren liebermann and jeremy diamond both mentioned, those will be the priority targets at first to knock down those cruise missiles and destroy them then we'll come the drones and that will overwhelm the rest of the systems if it's been synchronized well, and what i suggested earlier might happen is you'd have a combination of those iranian drones, iranian cruise missiles, a sudden launch of rockets from hezbollah is mr. rule posited and also some cruise misles coming out of yemen that have been launched by the houthis. they should, if this was a well coordinated action, they would all hiat the same me. or if they're seqntial, it could also cause significant challenges for the israeli air defense. and that's why i think you're going to see the united states with their systems in the area helping to defend and in and actually

attack those incoming missiles from a bunch of different directions. but again, depending on the numbers, the directions and the types you're going to see. a very complex attack. and it's going to be very challenging to the ear defenders and the soldiers, sailors, and airmen in the area are these missiles and drones more likely to get intercepted outside of israeli airspace are, or the more formidable air defense systems >> inside of israel? >> there's an acronym we use sometimes in the military. alex, that's called dots and that stands for depends on the situation. again, it depends on where they're coming from you don't have a solid wall of air defense. we've learned that in ukraine as we've talked about what they can do so there is an integrated air defense, a bubble, israel as a much smaller territory, it's about 250 miles long by 70 miles wide. so you can defend inside the territory better. there are

some capabilities to hit outside the territory, both from the long-range missiles as oren liebermann started the arrow and the david's sling can hit outside the boundaries and stop those missiles and rockets from coming in. but you can't stop all of them. it isn't a perfect wall but you will be able to stop some that are headed toward key targets the problem is, in some of these, if it's a ballistic missile or ground to ground, you know where it's launched from, you know, where it's heading, you know, its apogee and perigee and fight. you can intercept it, but a cruise missile can go back and forth just like the drones and can maneuver around. so it's much more difficult to use some of the systems that israel has to hit those moving targets, the ones that go from ground to ground are easy to hit once you pick them up on the radar, the other ones are much more difficult because they fly napa, the earth. are they going, circuitous routes? so

it's much more challenging from an operator's perspective to knock those down oren liebermann at the pentagon over the past few days, the head of central command. so well, we don't have oren apparently, but i want to go back to norm roule. we've seen over the past few days, norm general kurilla, that the head of central command, which is the area of operation which has the middle east he's been in israel. what what have you made of his activities and his messaging while he's been been there, what is the message that the us has been trying to send by having general kurilla in place general kurilla is presence and israel is tangible demonstration of us is willing to marry together are finest and most >> experienced regional military personnel with israeli operators to plan an effective defense that it exploits mutual capabilities. >> and moving back to the point

made strong in general hurtling moving forces that centcom has a very effectively used against the houthis north to support israeli systems, as well as the existing air defense systems in eastern mediterranean required some high level conversations as well as probably some understanding of what we could do over iraq and perhaps some sense of what regional partners would do. for example, some countries such as saudi arabia and jordan would not want iranian missiles transiting their territory are running drones. they may not want to be very public about shooting it down, but they have a responsibility to protect their territory and how that might play out. got requires the conversations that would dry in the senior-most officials of centcom >> all right. want everyone to stay with us are breaking news on cnn continues right now. >> he's cnn's breaking news