News we are back with our breaking News Coverage. Iran launching a barrage of missiles into Israel And Anderson cooper alongside my colleague wolf blitzer, moments ago, White House national Security AdviserJake Sullivan said nearly 200 Ballistic Missiles were fired from iran. He characterized the attack as a significant escalation as were his its words. Our cameras captured the moment when some of the missiles were intercepted over Tel Aviv this afternoon. It was a very scary moment indeed, and were getting our first look, anderson, right now at some of the Damage Video posted on Social Media shows an object crashing down just north of Tel Aviv another video shows the aftermath inside a restaurant in the area. You can see broken glass and scattered debris. Or ron says this attack was in response for the killing of the hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other assassinations. The israeli military is vowing that irans attack, quote well have consequences. Their words will have consequences. Heres the moment our Colleague And FriendJim Sciutto and his Team Saw the iranian missiles entering Tel Avivs airspace earlier today, watch this this is a sun summarizing major. I think my heart Jim Sciutto, this is obviously a major attack. Theres no question you are seeing what were all saying. With our own eyes is a major attack from iran. Its a major attack. Dana and its an escalation. Its an escalation of this war beyond what we saw, i think potentially beyond what we saw on april when it when iran launched dozens of missiles and drones this attack according to us intelligence principally, or perhaps entirely Ballistic Missiles, which are the fastest by far. And the most dangerous and now what were seeing in addition to those intercepts as were seeing fragments falling to the ground, its like, yeah, a deadly a deadly fireworks display over Tel Aviv. Goodness, there was an impassioned gave us here and youre talking about Tel Aviv, jim, we are looking at pictures right now. We are looking picture at pictures of Tel Aviv. What youre describing oh god. Okay. Guys, we got to get off the roof. These are coming down right next to us here. Please do, jim please do theyre coming down one just about. We got to go inside jim, please take Cover Listening and we are watching so that was the scene about more than two hours ago or the chicken with Jim Sciutto, whos on the rooftop. There is the strikes began, obviously things now a calm in Tel Aviv. There was also a Terror Attack earlier in jaffa but just talk a little bit about what is going on right now in terms of what israeli government officials are doing and considering meeting shortly. The israeli Prime Minister his defense minister, intelligence officials to decide Israels Response and weve already heard public commentary, for instance, from admiral hagari, spokesperson for the idf vowing what he described a serious consequences for this attack the question is what those serious consequences are . How far it seems quite clear that israel is going to respond to the question is, how far do they respond . And what targets and to what degree . Because we are locked in a cycle of Attack And Retaliation. Retaliation, Attack And Retaliation that weve been in for some time. I think you could connect the Events Tonight to what we saw just Yesterday And Overnight was israeli boots on the ground in southern lebanon. And then to the israeli strike that killed nasrallah several days before that were locked in a cycle here. And the question is, does that cycle get worse . And i think thats why it was interesting to hear Jake Sullivan and Anthony Blinken both emphasized at the top of their comments, just before the end of the last hour that this was an ineffective attack, that it was successfully defeated by israel. And i wonder if that could be part of a broader message from the u. S. To israel, whether it takes theyre not to while it has every right to respond, to attempt to temper that response, so it doesnt escalate further. Just one more thing i would add because you anderson, you and wolf know this as well as i do in the midst of that fire, there my colleagues here were The Ones with me getting this on the Air Contour ago, whos here . David hawley, Florence Davy Attlee producing ahmeds iran stewart scanlan, keeping our signal up in the sky. Zena saifi producing as well. And hannah barely there were a group of us here on the roof throughout those events. And without that group, but we couldnt got those images on the air jim, theres a State Department briefing, i believe going on right now. So lets lets go to that israel, let alone an american citizen casualty. There is one report of a palestinian who died in the West Bank but no, no, no damage to any us facility either and then what with you and the national Security Advisor just a few minutes ago, you talked about this being a brazen and unacceptable escalation but does the administration see anything that israel has done over the course of the last three weeks as escalatory. So certainly they have done things to ics to expand the conflict. But if you look at the actions that they have taken, they were bringing terrorists to justice. Terrorists who have launched attacks on israeli civilians if you look at what iran did today, we have been warning for some time about the threat posed by iran Arming And FundingTerrorist Groups across the Middle East and the Attack Today just demonstrated the danger of those actions. What you saw was iran launching a state onstate attack to protect and defend the Terrorist Groups that it has built, nurtured, and that it controls so there is a difference between the actions that we have seen israel takes to defend its civilians and what i just said they are equivalent, i just wanted to make sure that you didnt see. We have certainly seen iran are we certain Thing Israel expand the nature of its attacks against hezbollah, but its a very a very different type of attack than what we saw today from a state. A State Actor against another state okay. Last one. And this has to do with lebanon and northern front the situation there is unstable and uncertain. I know that you guys have been asking americans who might want information about assistance and possibly leaving to sign up on a on a forum. Can you give us an update on the numbers of those and whether or not youre planning to i dont know, to do anything in the way of either us government capabilities or Charter Flight fairies, sir. So youre right, as we often do in these situations, we have directed us citizens since you are in lebanon to register with the State Department for information and especially for information with how to depart lebanon. And were providing them whatever information we can we have had as of today, around 6,000 American Citizens its in lebonon who have registered with us for further information should be clear. Not all of those American Citizens are seeking assistance with departing people are just looking for information theyre looking for options there are a number of American Citizens who live in lebanon who have lived there for years and do not want to depart the country so in terms of the status on the ground, the airport is still open commercial flights are operating, although they are available at times it reduced us capacity. We are working right now with airlines to provide additional flights with more seats for American Citizens. Its something that we hope to turn on in the next few days, and we will be in touch with american cities dozens. If and when we are able to expand that capability, how do you, how do you make how do you ensure that theyre going to be seats reserved for americans that were working with i cant get into details. Were working with commercial carriers to ensure that capability. And when we have further Information And Weve locked this down, its something will communicate directly with American Citizens who have asked for information. And then ill be happy to come and talk talk about it here at the Briefing Room so given that the secretary and the national Security Advisor just said that this attack by iran is sort of definitive escalatory and nature. I know that state youve been telling us the secretary even told us that for months, youve been encouraging the israelis not to respond to attacks and provocations in such a way that escalates anything further is the secretary going to continue to so offer that same advice to the israelis now in the wake of these missile strikes, ill say a couple of things about that. First, of course, israel has the right to defend itself as any nation does in terms of what Israels Response will be. Of course, there must be consequences for iran for this attack. Weve made clear that there must be consequences. Im not going to get into what those consequences are today. But there are things on which we will be coordinating with our israeli counterparts. And i think in the immediate aftermath of this attack were going to coordinate with them on what any response might be i think its important that we are able to defeat this attack through successful work with israel and with our partners. And we will work with them on what a response might look like. But im not at the position just twoandahalf hours after this event occurred to offer what that might look like Today Araneus and Foreign Ministry continue to monitor the state roofing. I want to go to the Pentagon Briefing thats underway right now. The pentagon spokesman, general Patrick Ryder, is Briefing Reporters and just set the scene. The us has now deployed three Guided Missile Destroyers in the Eastern Mediterranean to assist israel potentially in the aftermath of this strike. But lets listen to this briefing whats being communicated between Secretary Austin and Minister Gallant right now in terms of tampering things down and potentially avoiding a wider war so that the two Navy Destroyers involved, or the Uss Bulkeley and the Uss Cole in terms of the conversations between Secretary Austin and Minister Gallant, i wont get into the private discussions other than to say we are consulting closely with them on next steps and the continued defense of israel and then are there any plans underway to conduct a neo given the Increase Risk of a wider war . Right now, there has been no order to evacuate. As youve heard us say before, we are a planning organization, so we of Course Plan for all contingencies but as of right now, State Department has not called for an evacuation. Jennifer should we assume that the Sm Threes were used by the colon doubleclick it says shut down, or to intercept the missiles im not going to get into the specific type of ordinance. Jennifer, other than to say again, they fired a Dozen Interceptors and iran said that they gave a headsup to the us into russia how much warning were you given by iran . Yeah, im not aware of any prewarning by iran about their potential attack, as you know, this is something weve been following very closely for a while. Based on the threats of retaliation by iran. And so weve been closely consulting with israel for a while now to be prepared in the eventuality. And as today demonstrated, we were prepared and we were able to successfully work alongside israel to defend them from this attack. Me go to carla thanks, pat. You said that the destroyer shot down iranian missiles where do they come from . Where they all it from inside iran or with some also from Yemen Being shot by the Houthis Karla to my knowledge, and again, were still assessing this. These were all launched from iran, Ballistic Missiles. And what i said was that they fired the interceptors to towards those missiles remember any other us assets involved in this defense . Of course, we have a lot of capability in the region, a lot of things that are there to be prepared for a wide variety of threats. But in terms of the launching of these intercept interceptors, it was those two districts so just being cleared, know groundbased interceptors were used in this for the any were you aware of any duds that didnt fire off that maybe around wanted to fire more than the roughly 200. As i mentioned, were still assessing the outcome of the attack, and so well have much more information later, but these are all our initial reports and then on the second call with the secretary and minister, the line and he urged israel not to respond or to moderate any response to iran or did Israel Share big launch, hear any of israeli intentions for their potential response here . Well, again, as im sure you can appreciate, im just not going to be able to get into the details of their call other than to say again, were consulting closely about next steps. And the continued defense of israel. What is, what is Secretary Austin think about the potential for an israeli response here . Does he would he urge them without saying what he said in the call necessarily, but what are his feelings about the potential when he urged them restraint or well, look, if you take a step back here, we fully support israels right to defend itself. You just saw a very significant ballistic Missile Attack by iran against Israel Drill and so well continue to work alongside them to support their defense. We of course, do not want to see a wider regional conflict. Youve heard us say that many times and will continue to work towards that end. But we also fully understand the fact that this was a significant attack by iran so. Were going to continue to consult closely and were going to continue to support their defense. Let me go to laura. You just a couple of clarification that day, us destroyers had intercepted or shot down. The missiles are just that they fisa, theyve fired approximately a Dozen Interceptors against the incoming iranian missiles and were there any us aircraft that sent that Shot Interceptors . All right. What ive read out is what participated in the defense of israel just want more. Can you say if there were any drones or Cruise Missiles that were enrolled . Again, still assessing it right now, it appears it was Ballistic Missiles no drones, but again, well continue to assess. Let me go to joseph and then well counter just wanted to turn to the israeli invasion of lebanon for the past couple for months, department and the secretary have called for deescalation. You guys have voiced your opposition to any Ground Incursion Invasion into the operator . After we found out that the israeli strike last week killed the hezbollah chief, Hassan Nasrallah. It seems like the tone changed from the statements Last Night, the Department And Secretary said they supported what israel is doing so what cha