Live updates: Explosions seen over parts of Jerusalem amid air sirens around Israel

Over 200 different kinds of missiles and drones — including killer drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles — have been fired toward Israel in the Iranian attack that launched just hours ago, Israel defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. daniel Hagari said.

He called the attack a "wide scale escalation" and said the IdF is operating at "full force" to protect the people of Israel.

Hagari said the vast majority of drones and missiles have been intercepted with the help from Israeli allies. The U.S. said it has intercepted a number of drones.

A number of missiles were dropped inside Israeli territory, causing damage to a military base, Hagari said, adding that there were no reported casualties beside a girl who was hurt. He added, "we hope she will be well."

"We are ready for any threat that will come to Israel, we will do everything we need, everything, to defend the state of Israel," Hagari said.

After Iran launched hundreds of drones in an attack on Israel, House Speaker Mike Johnson said, “America must show our full resolve to stand with our critical ally."

Johnson, R-La., said Israel is not alone and assured he will work with the White House "to insist on a proper response."

He also called out the Biden administration, placing some blame on it for the attack.

"The Biden administration’s undermining of Israel and appeasement of Iran have contributed to these terrible developments," Johnson said.

Former President donald Trump sounded off on the Iran attack on Israel at a rally in Pennsylvania tonight.

He told the crowd the attack was a product of American weakness.

"That's because we show great weakness," he told the crowd at the Schnecksville Fire Company fairgrounds. "This would not happen. The weakness that we've shown, it's unbelievable and it would not have happened if we were in office."

Trump added that "America prays for Israel" as Iranian missiles were fired toward the country.

Later on, members of the crowd could be heard chanting, "Genocide Joe! Genocide Joe!" to which Trump responded, "They're not wrong."

President Joe Biden has repeatedly said he will defend Israel against Iran and the U.S. is shooting down some drones flying toward Israel.

But his defense of the Jewish State has attracted criticism from some corners of his party, even pointing out on one occasion that some protesters who were chanting that he was “complicit in genocide” in Gaza "have a point.”

JERUSALEM — Israel's air defense systems appeared to be fully engaged in the early morning hours here. The dark skies above the Old City of Jerusalem intermittently lit up with orange flares as Israeli rockets appeared to be taking out incoming Iranian drones.

The U.K. is moving Royal Air Force jets and air refueling tankers to the Middle East "to encourage de-escalation and prevent further attacks," the Ministry of defense said in a statement.

The statement said the jets from the U.K. will intercept airborne attacks near existing missions by the country.

"We will continue to cooperate closely with our regional partners in the interest of de-escalation," the ministry statement said.

President Joe Biden said in a post on X this evening that he met with his national security team to discuss Iran's attack against Israel.

Biden cut short a trip to delaware to return to the White House today.

JERUSALEM — The dark sky above the Old City of Jerusalem lit up tonight with orange flashes of rocket fire as air-raid sirens rung out across the city.

The bursts of rocket fire resembled shooting stars and appeared to come from Israel's sophisticated air defense system, not the Iranian drone attacks.

A U.S. official confirmed that Iran fired missiles at Israel and that the U.S. military is trying to shoot down Iranian missiles and drones bound for Israel.

The U.S. has shot down several Iranian drones but does not have confirmation that it has successfully shot down missiles. 

The House's schedule will change for next week, said Rep. Steve Scalise, the House Republican majority leader, and it will refocus on considering legislation to support Israel and hold Iran accountable.

"In light of Iran’s unjustified attack on Israel, the House will move from its previously announced legislative schedule next week to instead consider legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable," Scalise said.

As Iran launches a retaliatory attack against Israel, former NBC News Tel Aviv bureau chief Martin Fletcher reports on how the Israeli air defense systems are prepared to stop certain attacks, but explains why the ballistic missiles may still break through.

Iran said it conducted a military attack on Israel "in response to the Zionist regime’s aggression against our diplomatic premises in damascus," and that "the matter can be deemed concluded."

The Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the U.N. said in a post on X that if Israel makes "another mistake, Iran's response will be considerably more severe," and that the matter is between Iran and Israel, and that the U.S. should stay out of it.

It said the attack was "legitimate defense" in response to the suspected Israeli attack on the Iranian consular building in Syria and was "conducted on the strength of Article 51 of the UN Charter."

The drones, launched hours ago, are beginning to arrive in Israel.

TEL AVIV, Israel — Sirens have sounded across Israel — in southern and northern Israel, and the areas of Shomron, the dead Sea and Jerusalem, the IdF confirmed.

The sirens all sounded in the span of about three minutes.

Residents of the northern Golan Heights, as well as the areas of Nevatim, dimona and Eilat, have been told by the Israel defense Forces they are required to stay near protective spaces until further notice.

The IdF said residents are required to enter a protected space when sirens are activated. If there is no protected space, residents must find the most protected area possible and wait 10 minutes, it said.

The U.S. military has shot down some Iranian drones tonight, according to U.S. officials.

The military intends to shoot down Iranian drones and missiles when they come into range of U.S. assets in Iraq, Syria and at sea.

The U.S. has beefed up its air defenses in recent months since the attack on Tower 22 and has repositioned assets in the region to be ready for this Iranian attack.

Iran launching drones toward Israel "is a severe and dangerous escalation," IdF spokesperson daniel Hagari said in an English video announcement.

Hagari said the IdF is "closely monitoring Iranian killer drones that are en route to Israel sent by Iran."

"Our defensive and offensive capabilities are at the highest level of readiness ahead of this large-scale attack from Iran," Hagari continued. "Together with our partners, the Israel defense Forces is operating at full-force to defend the state of Israel and the people of Israel."

He said, "This is a mission that we are determined and ready to fulfill."

President Biden is expected to meet with Iraq's prime minister, Mohammed Shia al Sudani, on Monday in Washington in a face-to-face discussion that has been on the president's schedule for weeks.

Their topic of discussion pertains the scope of U.S.-Iraq relations, including military presence and trade.

"As Israel is under attack from Iran, we stand with Israel and its people, and the United States will do everything we can to support Israel’s defense against Iran," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, d-N.Y., said in a post on X.

Schumer is the highest-ranking Jewish official in the U.S.

He recently called for new elections in Israel to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is convening the war management Cabinet in Kirya in Tel Aviv, his office said.

Earlier today, before Iran launched hundreds of drones toward Israel, Netanyahu said the country has been preparing for the possibility of a direct attack from Iran in recent years and weeks.

"Our defense systems are deployed, we are prepared for any scenario, both in defense and attack," Netanyahu said. "The state of Israel is strong, the IdF is strong, the public is strong."

He said he appreciated the U.S. "standing by Israel's side," as well as Great Britain, France and "many other countries."

"I established a clear principle — whoever hurts us, we hurt him. We will protect ourselves from any threat and we will do so with coolness and determination," Netanyahu said. "Together we will stand, and with God’s help — together we will overcome all our enemies."

President Joe Biden arrived at the White House and was headed into the Oval Office at approximately 5:04 p.m. ET.

He is to meet with principals of the National Security Council to discuss the situation in the Middle East in the Situation Room, the White House said.

Biden cut short a trip in Rehoboth Beach, delaware, where he was expected to spend the weekend.

When news broke that Iran had launched a retaliatory attack on Israel, some users on the social media platform X uploaded misleading videos, including footage from previous drone attacks or imagery from video games.

In one, an X user posted a video from six months ago showing Israel’s Iron dome air defense system intercepting Hamas rockets in Ashkelon. In another post flagged by a reporter for the BBC, an X user falsely suggested that imagery from the video game “Arma 3” was video from today’s drone attacks.

Iran launched a retaliatory attack against Israel on Saturday that risks sparking a regional conflict that could draw in U.S. military forces. The attack marked the first time that Iran has launched a direct military attack on the Jewish state. 

Israeli military officials said the attack began with more than 100 Iranian drones heading toward Israel. It will take hours before the drones arrive, and Israeli officials said they hope to intercept them.

A senior Biden administration official warned that the assault could also involve dozens of cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. 

The official said the administration expects Israeli government facilities to be targeted but not civilian or religious sites. U.S. assets in the region are also not expected to be targeted, the official said.  

The U.S. and Israel have been closely coordinating how to defend against the attack, the official said. “We’re ready. The Israelis are ready.”

Read the full story here.

The Israeli defense Forces have "tens of aircraft" in Israeli skies at the moment, an IdF official said at a briefing following Iran's launching of drones toward Israel.

The IdF confirmed the launching of drones but said it cannot confirm that Iran has launched any missiles. The official said the IdF cannot confirm the type or the payload of drones launched.

The official also said they cannot confirm if there have been any interceptions yet or what Iran is targeting in Israel.

The IdF is operating on "a pre-prepared action plan," the official said, adding that the idea is to intercept the drones before they reach Israel but that they will intercept the drones over Israel if necessary.

Members of the House and Senate intelligence committees had classified information made available to them last week on Iran’s plans to strike Israel, two congressional officials told NBC News.

The officials said they expect briefings from administration and intelligence community officials next week when Congress returns, but those briefings have not yet been scheduled.

Lebanese airspace has been closed to all arriving, departing and crossing aircraft, Ali Hamiyah, the minister of public works in the caretaker government, said in a post on X, in light of the attacks launched from Iranian territory toward Israel.

The closure is temporary, the government said, and will start at 1 a.m. local time and will be in effect until 7 a.m. local time.

Air traffic at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport will be completely closed during the same time period, according to the statement. Updates will be made according to developments in the situation.

"I condemn in the strongest terms the Iranian regime’s reckless attack against Israel. These strikes risk inflaming tensions and destabilising the region," U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement.

"Iran has once again demonstrated that it is intent on sowing chaos in its own backyard," Sunak added.

Sunak said the U.K. will continue to "stand up for Israel’s security" as well as that of the U.K.'s regional partners, including Jordan and Iraq.

"Alongside our allies, we are urgently working to stabilise the situation and prevent further escalation. No one wants to see more bloodshed," Sunak said.

Israel's airspace will be closed to all domestic and international flights starting at 12:30 a.m. local time, a spokesperson with the Israel airport authority said.

The spokesperson said the flight schedule from Tel Aviv is likely to change due to the delay in the arrival of flights to Israel and that the Ramon Airport will be closed to traffic.

Travelers should check with airlines and on the Airports Authority website regarding new flight times, according to the spokesperson, who said they will continue to provide updates as the situation develops.

El Al has canceled 15 flights, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed to NBC News. The canceled flights were mainly from Europe to Israel.

"In light of the closure of the airspace over Israel, some El Al flights are canceled," a statement from the airline said.

Updates will be posted on El Al's website and on social media. Customers whose flights were canceled will be notified when they can book an alternative when possible.

"El Al operates according to the instructions of the security forces and is in direct contact with them," the spokesperson said.

More than 100 unmanned aerial vehicles were launched toward Israel, the IdF confirmed to NBC News.

Now that Iran has begun its retaliation against Israel, the U.S. is bracing for this to be “a major attack,” according to two senior U.S. officials.

The administration’s expectation is Iran will launch more than 100 drones, dozens of cruise missiles and dozens of ballistic missiles targeting Israeli government sites, not civilians or religious sites, one of the officials said.

The U.S. and Israel have been closely coordinating on a defense against the attack. “We’re ready. The Israelis are ready,” the official said.

Commander of U.S. Central Command Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla was in Israel for a meeting with senior Israeli officials for the past several days, and now defense officials say he is traveling in the region. during his visit, Kurilla consulted with the Israelis on a defense plan that includes U.S. help from the sea and air, as well as how Israel might respond to Iran’s attack, the senior U.S. officials said.

The administration is not expecting Iran to target any U.S. assets in the region, the officials said.

Israeli defense Forces spokesperson Hagari said in a televised statement in Israel today that "Iran launched unmanned aircrafts from its territory towards the territory of the State of Israel."

He reiterated that the threat will take "several hours" to reach Israel and that the IdF and the Israeli Air Force are implementing their plan that has been prepared for this moment.

He noted that if the threat is determined to arrive sooner than expected, updates will be provided.

In a separate statement, the IdF said Iran "launched UAVs from within its territory toward Israel," adding that the IdF, including the IdF Aerial defense Array, is on "high alert and is constantly monitoring the operational situation," as are IAF fighter jets and Israeli Navy vessels.

President Biden will meet with principals of the National Security Council to discuss the situation in the Middle East in the White House Situation Room, the White House said.

Earlier today, Biden was briefed on the matter by national security adviser Jake Sullivan and principal deputy national security adviser Jon Finer, according to the White House.

They will later meet with defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, CIA director Bill Burns, director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, counselor to the president Steve Ricchetti and National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk.

Vice President Kamala Harris and chief of staff Jeff Zients will also attend the meeting virtually by secure video, the White House said.

Iran has begun its retaliatory strikes against Israel, according to three U.S. officials.

The attacks are beginning with drones, the officials said, but they expect Iran to launch missiles as part of what is expected to be an hourslong operation that is now expected to last late into the night.

The U.S. is prepared to help defend Israel with ships, including the USS Carney, a destroyer that has been involved in shooting down Houthi projectiles but is now repositioned to help Israel, as well as other destroyers and assets, the officials said.

NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson confirmed in a statement that Iran has launched its “airborne attacks on Israel.”

President Joe Biden is being updated about the situation in the Middle East by his national security team and plans to meet with them this afternoon at the White House, the statement said.

Additionally, Biden's team is in "constant contact" with Israeli officials, partners and allies.

The attack on Israel is likely "to unfold over a number of hours," Watson said in the statement.

"President Biden has been clear: our support for Israel’s security is ironclad," the statement said. "The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran."

Earlier this week, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said at a prayer ceremony celebrating the end of the holy month of Ramadan that Israel “must be punished, and it will be punished.” His remarks were broadcast by Iranian state TV.

His comments came after Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on X that his country “will respond and attack in Iran” if it attacked from within its territory.

Iran has launched drones toward Israel, IdF spokesman daniel Hagari said in a statement, in an attack that Tehran had promised to carry out after its embassy in damascus was hit last week.

The United States has restricted travel for its staff in Israel, as fears grow of an imminent retaliatory attack by Iran.

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued a security alert Thursday restricting its employees and their family members from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Be’er Sheva areas until further notice “out of an abundance of caution.”

Read the full story here.

Israel’s foreign minister threatened Wednesday that his country’s forces would strike Iran directly if the Islamic Republic launched an attack from its territory against Israel.

“If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran,” Israel Katz said in a post on X in Farsi and Hebrew.