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An Israeli official said Israel attacked Iran on April 19 in retaliation for Iran launching a barrage of missiles and drones at Israel. (Video: Reuters)

Israel strikes Iran, Israeli official says; White House declines to comment on attack

2 min

Israel carried out a strike on Iran early Friday in retaliation for a barrage of missiles and drones launched last weekend, an Israeli official said. It was not clear what damage the strike caused, but the official — who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters — said it was intended to signal that Israel has the ability to strike inside Iran.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to comment on whether Washington was warned about the strike, but emphasized that “the United States has not been involved in any offensive operations.” U.S. officials at multiple government agencies told The Washington Post that the Biden administration instructed them not to speak publicly about the strike.

Key updates
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Iranian state media was muted in its response to the attack, saying Iran’s air defense systems intercepted “three small drones” in Isfahan province.
There was no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites, including those in Isfahan, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday morning. Isfahan province is the site of Iran’s largest nuclear research complex; the area is also home to a military base.
“The United States were informed the last minute” by Israel about the strike, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who is hosting Group of Seven foreign ministers, said Friday. “There was no involvement on the part of the United States. It was simply information that was provided,” he added.
Syria’s state news agency reported that Israel launched an attack overnight with missiles targeting air defense sites in the country’s southern region. It did not provide details about the location and said the attack caused some damage.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that after phone conversations with both Iran and Israel, Moscow “conveyed to the Israelis that Iran does not want an escalation.”
At least 33,970 people have been killed and 76,770 injured in Gaza since the war began, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says the majority of the dead are women and children.
Israel estimates that about 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, including more than 300 soldiers, and says that 260 soldiers have been killed since its military operation in Gaza began.
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Iranian state media was muted in its response to the attack, saying Iran’s air defense systems intercepted “three small drones” in Isfahan province.
There was no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites, including those in Isfahan, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday morning. Isfahan province is the site of Iran’s largest nuclear research complex; the area is also home to a military base.
“The United States were informed the last minute” by Israel about the strike, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who is hosting Group of Seven foreign ministers, said Friday. “There was no involvement on the part of the United States. It was simply information that was provided,” he added.
Syria’s state news agency reported that Israel launched an attack overnight with missiles targeting air defense sites in the country’s southern region. It did not provide details about the location and said the attack caused some damage.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that after phone conversations with both Iran and Israel, Moscow “conveyed to the Israelis that Iran does not want an escalation.”
At least 33,970 people have been killed and 76,770 injured in Gaza since the war began, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says the majority of the dead are women and children.
Israel estimates that about 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, including more than 300 soldiers, and says that 260 soldiers have been killed since its military operation in Gaza began.
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Israel-Gaza war

The Israel-Gaza war has gone on for six months, and tensions have spilled into the surrounding region.

The war: On Oct. 7, Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel that included the taking of civilian hostages at a music festival. (See photos and videos of how the deadly assault unfolded). Israel declared war on Hamas in response, launching a ground invasion that fueled the biggest displacement in the region since Israel’s creation in 1948.

Gaza crisis: In the Gaza Strip, Israel has waged one of this century’s most destructive wars, killing tens of thousands and plunging at least half of the population into “famine-like conditions.” For months, Israel has resisted pressure from Western allies to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave.

U.S. involvement: Despite tensions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some U.S. politicians, including President Biden, the United States supports Israel with weapons, funds aid packages, and has vetoed or abstained from the United Nations’ cease-fire resolutions.

History: The roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mistrust are deep and complex, predating the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Read more on the history of the Gaza Strip.