This is sky news today. The headlines at 10 00. Iran launches the first ever direct attacks on israel where pour than 300 drones and missiles and ies rate says they intercepted 99 . U. S. Military helped repel and the Royal Air Force was involved. Fears about israels possible response means tensions remain high in the region. Joe biden calls it a brazen attack and reaforms americas ironclad commitment to protect israel. He called a meeting of g7 leaders later today to discuss the unfolding crisis. We will have all the latest live throughout the morning here on sky news and we will be assessing what israel will do next. Good morning. We begin with a tense and significant turn of events in the middle east. Overnight, the skies of jerusalem lit up with explosions as iran carried out its first ever direct attack on israel. It comes two weeks after suspected israeli strike in syria that killed two iranian generals. In a moment, we will hear from the Israeli Military on the state of the countrys defenses and whether there could be further action taken by Benjamin Netanyahu. First, our middle east correspondent has this. Reporter israel says more than 300 missiles and drones were launched by iran overnight. They arrived in israeli airspace before 2 00 a. M. In the morning. These were intercepts over jerusalem. The holy city was under attack and the skies above a light with the trails of israels air defense system. The region had been on edge for days, but this was a bigger, far more dang rouse retaliation than many predicted. The u. S. Government seemed to have warning the attack was coming. President biden cut short the weekend by the beach in delaware and flew back to the white house to be with his National Security team. He was watching and monitoring events from the situation room. As the attacks unfolded. Israeli military warned people to stay close to bomb shelters. Dozens of Unmanned Aircraft were intercepted outside of the borders state of of israel with a total number of threats was over 200. The idf does and will do everything that is required to protect the security of the citizens of the state of israel. Reporter the nation braised airspace was closed over jordan and iraq. Flights in the airheaded for tel aviv were turned back. U. S. Embassy told the staff to take shelter and schools in israel have about ordered to close for the next two days. Israeli military says the vast majority of missiles and drones were intercepted outside of the airspace. The few missiles that did fall within the country only caused minor damage. The u. S. President condemned the attack and what he calls the strongest possible terms. He says that hes spoken to israel employment primingster to reaffirm americas commitment to the security of the country. Irans mission to the United States tweeted to say the matter was concluded and warned the u. S. Not to get involved and israel not to retaliate. The attacks were celebrated by Regime Supporters in tehran. They might be satisfied by the response, but israel might feel it has no choice but to retaliate. This could still be just the beginning. Sky news in jerusalem. I am join by a spokesman for the Israeli Defense forces. What is the situation there now . Good morning. Indeed, the idf continues to be posed for any threats against israel. What happened is a unity of reasonable players against the diabolical plan of iran when they fired over 300 rockets, explosive drones missiles towards ies Cruise Missiles this is a Serious Act Against israel. What happened israel and aerial defenses and ability of the u. S. Military and British Military and air force and french air forces as well as other players in the region, are very, very clear message to iran it wont go. Together, united, we saved israeli lives tonight. Will you respond. Thats a very good question. What we are looking towards the government today and the government will convene later today and they will make their decisions. And they will instruct the military accordingly. We will, of course be preparing for any eventualty and developments required. Of course, this is a very grave attack against the state of israel by iran. But its not although its different, it doesnt change the reality that we have experienced over the last six months with all of irans approximateies have been conducting a coordinated orchestrated attack pest against israel from hezbollah and leb none and how theies in yemen and hamas. We are facing another development in the war effort where iran has cleared stepped up a notch against israel and putting so many lives yesterday at risk where the country basically was engulfed by alarms and thankfully, almost without success, we have one 7 yearold baby girl who has been injured critically injured and is fighting for her life this morning. And, of course, the limited ability of irans Ballistic Missiles to hit israel, they were able to hit one of our air bases that didnt really do much damage in the air bases up and operational and operations didnt cease during that event. They fired 170 explosive drones towards israel. None reached israel. They were intercepted beforehand and launched 30 Cruise Missiles towards israel and none of those reached israel, and they were all intercepted outside israels airspace, and out of the 120 Ballistic Missiles they fired, towards us, a handful actually reached any sort of destination. So, we are poised and prepared for any developments. The reality is one thats extremely tense and, and think we have to look open eyed to what can actually happen further and that is why the idf is prepared in our aerial defenses continue to be on high alert. Before we get onto that, what involvement was theres from your allies in particular the u. S. And the uk because we understand the Royal Air Force was on an operation in the region at the time. I dont want to talk on their behalf. I think we each have our own seats at the table. Think over the last six months, theres been a lot of coordination and we saw the head of the u. S. Sent com over the last few days. I would say ironing out details in order to be prepared for irans attack. And it worked perfectly. I think its probably unprecedented in the nature of modern warfare and this type of rocket stand off attacks that we experienced, how it works so well. 99 Interception Rate is high but its because we worked together. What coordination was there with your arab partners and allies in the region . So, i wont go into specifics. Of course, theres great opportunities strategic opportunities in facing the diabolical intentions of iran together. Because iran has proven through the last six months extensively in the last 24 hours of their ilill intention and intent to destabilize the region and theres a strong message to iran. Was the attack on irans consulate in syria provocative. I am not going to comment on that. I can say that iran has been hiding behind its approximateies over the last six months. Even just this month we have more rockets fired by hezbollah. But they were not entirely unprovoked in this instance. Its a response to what happened on april 1st. I think that what we have seen throughout the course of the last six months iran has been the Puppet Master of everything bad thats happening. They equip and train, fund, all of these hostile players houthis with 100 to 200 Million Dollars year. His bow lea and iran with A Billion Dollars a year and lebanon sorry. Iran is not a stand off player. So, really, really, you are at war with iran. Has this opened up a front in your war then . I certainly hope not. I think we need to be prepared for that reality. Our goal is to secure the safety of the people of israel, to make sure that people here can go on living their lives in a normal situation. 300 missiles rockets and drones were fired at israel over last night, and their intention was to kill israelis. They failed. Thats a good thing. We need to make shower that doesnt happen again. I am sure you agree its the safety of all civilians across the region that is paramount is it not . Absolutely. Yeah. So what is happening in gaza right now because we know recently youve withdrawn troops from the south. Is your purported Ground Assault on rafah. We have forces on the grouped in the northern areas. And we are preparing ourselves for operations in rafah that will take place in under the instruction of the government. But in the same time, with the intention to evacuate civilians from the combat area. You know, hamas has to go. Thats reality of the war. When they broke into and invaded israel on the 7th of october, they basically sealed their own destiny. They cant be trusted with the powers of government because we have seen what they do with the powers. They build a Terrorist Army, they came into the bedrooms, our kitchens and living rooms, and butchered our babies, abducted men, Women And Children and elderly and they have to go and this has to be the outcome. We have to conduct our operations in accordance to the laws of armed conflict. And thats what we are doing. And, of course, we will pursue hamas so that they cannot threatening israel ever again. We are hearing from jordans Foreign Minister that region escalation must be prevented that could push the region in an abyss of war. But the First Step TowardsDe Escalation is ending the Israeli Aggression on gaza and starting to implement the two State Solution is the only path to security and peace for all coming from jordans Foreign Minister there on x. Many would agree with that. That there has to be a path to security and peace for all. Do you think that means israel, then, will not escalate this further . Matt, this war can be over today if hamas unconditionally surrenders and releases 133 ies Railsies 133 Ies rails israelis they hold. We want to create a better secure reality for all the people in the region. Israelis deserve to have live in security as well. Final question, it is not happening so far, the hostages remain in gaza and the talks have stalled once more, we understand this morning. You need to concede some ground to bring this to an end, dont you . So you suggesting we raise a white flag and surrender to hamas and hop they dont do it again. There has to be a diplomat being diplomatic solution. Peace with hamas is not pole. They were given ample opportunities to create a peace israel left the gaza strip and allowed and permitted hamas to choose their path. Up fortunately the path they chose was a path of death and destruction abduction and rain and killing. This is exactly what they used the time, the 17 years they have been in power. They have built they used the years to build a Terrorist Army that came into israel. They didnt use the ample International Support and projects to build above ground. They bullet a diabolical, the most extensive expansive Construction Project ever to exist in the gaza strip is beneath ground to serve their terrorist endeavors. I would say with hamas theres no peace. We all have to agree hamas has to go. We have to agree that hamas must go either by force or through as i said, they can unconditionally surrender and it will be over today. But we know that they are not going to do that. They arent going to concede power and we need to take it from them. It is a challenge and we do need International Support to permit that, but every dough sent person around the world needs to acknowledge the fact there can be no peace with hamas. Did you see what they did to us . Did you see what they continue to say they will repeat on doing to us . Thats why the only outcome for a peace in the region can be without hamas, we are on the path to get rid of hamas and it may take time because they have been planning this for 17 years. And so theres no quick fix. Theres no easy prescription. And indeed, we need to do it in a way which allows and permits the change of the regime in gaza. And ideally i say the people of gaza need to choose their destiny but it needs to be a destiny without terrorism against israel. Thank you very much. Thank you, matt, good day. Lets speak to our middle east correspondent who joins me from jerusalem now. Your response to what we heard from peter lerner. Reporter we are in a moment of deep concern and great uncertainty. What happens next could be genuinely defining for the future and security of the middle east. Will israel retaliate . Or will diplomatic efforts to try to deescalate the situation take the heat out of it be successful. You asked Peter Willner if israel would respond he didnt give an answer for two reasons because its not the military that makes the decision its the politicians when they meet today, tomorrow, whenever it will be politicians, the war cabinet who make the decision. The other reason he wasnt able to give an answer because people dont know yet. That decision has not been taken, and its going to be discussed. In the war cabinet. What are israels options by way of response . And they have a number of options they could look at. Not just a direct response to iran. They could look to take on their proxys in the north where theres been a war for the six months with hezbollah but they could take it up a notch or two. Think what we will see in the coming hours, possibly the coming days as well, if time allows, is Huge International diplomacy from america, led by america and also from regional players. We have seen it in the last few minutes in jordan. Urging for deescalation. We will see it when washington wakes up in a few hours time. We will see it from london and from brussels. People will be wanting to make sure that what happened last night and the events that led up to it, it ends there. And it does not become more dangerous. Thanks so much. Lets bring in now our security and december fence defense editor. In terms of diplomacy the u. S. Is promising ironclad support for israel. But what will be happening behind the scenes in terms of what is discussed or also given that g7 leaders are soon to meet too . Well, there have been discussions for ever since that strike against the iranian consulate in damascus which iran blamed on israel, killed Senior Iranian general, other officers killed. Israel has not responded to that. Has not admitted it did it or denied it was hyped it. But ever since that moment, the region was on alert for an iranian retaliation. And the conversations behind the scenes were all about initially is it possible to avert that retaliation. But it was clear its not possible to avertitis is there a way to contan it and once the strike happened overnight from iran took place, is there a way to stop israel from retaliating in a way that would then ignite a far graver full scale war in the region which is clearly what countries in the region are all talking about trying to prevent. But the scale of the attack, over 300 drones missiles and including Ballistic Missiles, launched against israel from multiple countries in the region, not just iran, also from lebanon, from syria, from iraq, and from yemen, and i think for israel, it is a huge unprecedented assault against the country. Yes, 99 of those munitions were intercepted and shot down, i mean, thats a sign of just how sophisticated the Israeli Defenses are supported by the u. S. And as Wells British and french. We have yet to hear exactly what the british involvement was in that. We just know that jets were in the air as part of an ongoing operation in the region against Islamic State but with permissions to be able to intercept iranian missiles and drones if the opportunity came their way. But given they had advance warning of that as well this was coming. And so they were obviously prepared. I think, really, all eyes are on what israel decides to do next. Israeli military clearly they have been at war for the last six months, and will respond to any orders that they are given. But this is a moment of real maximum peril in terms of this conflict which is already consumed the region igniting into something far more dang rouse that would potentially really have an impact globally on security, trade and, of course, Devastation Tating for the region. Devastating. Describing the attack on israel as reckless and pledging to continue to stand up for israels security. He said, i condemn in the strongest term the iranian regimes reckless attack against ies are a i will. Iran has once again demonstrated that it is intent on sewing chaos in its backyard. He continued the uk will continue to stand up for israels security and that of all our regional partners including jordan, and iraq. Alongside our allies we are urgently working to stabilize the situation and prevent further escalation. No one wants more bloodshed. Lets go to rob powell in westminster. Rob, we are hearing of some british involvement in repelling that iranian attack overnight because the rf were thought to be on an operation in neighboring iraq at the time. Yeah, the exact details of the precise involvement that the raf had last night and whether they did indeed intercept and shoot down drones from iran missiles from iran, we dont know that yet. All the Ministry Of Defense have said is that resources, jets have been sent to the region. Actually as part of a separate decade long mission that the raf and uk is running to counter isis in iraq and serial. But crucially, the jets were given the permission to shot down irania