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breaking news, everybody, we are covering right now the president rushing back to the white house with in a strike on israel could be imminent but what would this look like? are we heading towards a direct conflict with iran ? the president dealing with multiple conflicts overseas while running for re-election at home but welcome, everyone. welcome to the special live coverage of "msnbc reports" at 4:00 p.m. we begin with the middle east with tension between iran, israel and the united states are at a tipping point that could erupt into a confrontation print the last time we were here was after the killing of the iranian top general at his funeral procession taking place in january of 2020 print and imminent retaliation from iran is expected in response to israeli airstrikes last week that killed iranian officials. we just learned that president biden is returning to the white house early from his weekend in delaware to meet with his

national security team were concerned about iran's next move and a potential attack on israel. here is what the present had to say when asked about the military action by iran. new how imminent do you think an attack is right now? >> sooner rather than later. >> what is your message in this moment? >> don't. >> mr. president. mr. president. our american troops at risk as well? >> we are devoted to the defense of israel. we will support israel and we will help defend israel. and iran will not succeed per thank you very much. >> certainly putting this country in a precarious position if iran launches his attack but want to bring in josh letterman he was falling

and almonds forecast. what a rehearing at this hour airlines have suspended flights into iran. jake sullivan speaking with his israeli counterpart in anticipation of what may be coming. what more do we know? >> reporter: you called this a tipping point but it is safe to say this is the mode test -- tense moment since the terror attacks in october that started the gaza war that has really raised tensions throughout the region. at this hour, we note israel's military has trembled -- scrambled dozens of jets in the air but it's attack forces are on the highest level of alert. we just heard from prime minister netanyahu urging israelis to be strong thing, whoever hurts us, we will hurt him. we also know that the level of alert right now is not just for the military but it is a new step from israel. they are putting their civilians on high levels of alert and ordering all school

activities across the country to be shut down for the next two days. limiting the group gatherings and even further restricting them in the areas near lebanon and gaza. and the concern is not only about this potentially impending strike from iran that now the u.s., israel and other nations say they expect at any moment but what comes next? israel has been going for days that if iran strikes inside israeli territory, israel will strike in iran he and territory print you hurt in the comments i read from and yahoo, the prime minister alluding to that as well. we know how quickly these types of events, miscalculations and escalations can spiral particularly in a region as explosive as the middle east. the concern is if iran strikes in israel, israel strikes in iran and those would be unprecedented steps on what comes next could be anyone's guess. >> josh, let me read for you in

part in what netanyahu said when he addressed raley's investment israelis. our systems are spread out and ready for all sinners weather defensive or offensive, israel is strong brick we appreciate the u.s. standing with israel. whoever hurts us, we will hurt them. we will defend our selves from every thread dispassionately and decisively. is the expectation, josh, from what we are learning that iran is looking to strike directly inside of israel? >> reporter: that appears to be at least what u.s. officials who spoken to nbc news is the case. iran is expected to launch some type of missile or drone attack that would strike inside israeli territory but at the same time, there are plenty of signs that iran does not actually want to escalate print from the iranian point of view, they don't feel like this is escalation. they feel like this is them responding to something israel started when it bombed the iranian embassy compound in

syria a couple weeks ago. babe you this as they are defending themselves against with debut as aggression by israel. we have seen some of this telegraphing from iran over the last few weeks about this like the attack. many experts believe is intended to make sure israel can get his people out of the way and make sure that everyone knows that iran feels like it has to respond to what israel did and needs to show that it will defend itself but wants to do it in a way that does not further set up a cycle of escalation. but we know these quiet and subtle messages do not always get read the way that they are intended, particular between two countries that are enemies and have no diplomatic relations. that is by washing, tel aviv and so many nations around the world are afraid about the situation spiraling. >> iran feeling as if it needs to save face in the middle east amidst the strike on top general in syria.

josh lederman, i will need you to stand by because this is a developing story. i do want to turn to the white house. as i mentioned a moment ago, the present has cut his weekend short to consult with his national security team unexpectedly that expected retaliation would let us bring in brie jackson who is at the white house. what are you learning from your reporting and what is going on inside the white house right now now the president has returned? >> reporter: in the present will be receiving an update on the situation in the middle east. white house officials say they have been in constant contact with israel. we do know that national security adviser jake sullivan as well as secretary defense lloyd austin have been in defense with the israeli counterparts today. on friday, president biden said he did expect a strike on israel to happen sometime soon and urge iran not to move forward. the rising tensions come almost

two weeks after iran about to retaliate for a bombing on its embassy in syria and they put the blame on israel. the biden administration has been on high alert and in constant contact with israel amid the rising tensions. take a listen to what white house officials are saying about the situation. >> we still deem the potential threat to be real and viable. certainly a credible and we are watching us closely as we can but right now we are having conversations with our israeli counterparts and making sure that they have what they need and they are able to defend themselves and as i think -- as i think, you know, we are also clearly -- it would be imprudent if we didn't take a look at our own posture in the region to make sure that we are properly prepared as well.

>> reporter: what does it look like in the region so far? the pentagon has repositioned assets including fighter jets and ships in the middle east in preparation for this possible iranian attack against israel. and that televised address today from israeli prime minister netanyahu, he did say that israel has been preparing for a direct strike from iran and expressed appreciation for the u.s. and other allies for standing by israel. >> i know a top american general has been in iran talking about idf about a threat do we know any coordination that has been ongoing as we note jake sullivan and the present saying that if iran the strike, the united states will stand behind israel? >> reporter: what we do know is this is something the u.s. military has continued to prepare for and the white house has looked intemperate exactly

what this will look like, that is something that u.s. officials are still investigating and that is what the president is expected to give an update on today at the white house. it remains to be seen how the u.s. will move forward and exactly what the strike -- the potential strike will look like from iran. >> brie jackson, thank you. i want to bring in former deputy national security adviser ben rhodes. he is a msnbc contributor as well. there is so many strengths to pull on with the scenario and what may be to come with a potential strike from iran on israel. it might be directly inside israel and if this becomes a conflict between israel and iran , how the united states gets involved backing israel as they have reiterated they will do what are you thinking right now? what is top of mind as you think about that potential? >> reporter: i think the main question that is top of mind right now is how big and broad

this iranian potential strike on israel might be. is this the kind of thing -- >> standby for me but i do want to report this now because i'm getting in this breaking news that we are hearing from the israeli defense forces and israeli military that iran has launched this drone attack against israel. that is all the details that we have so far. we are getting this in piecemeal . we want to make sure that we are verifying all the information that we get in before we report it. you think about the consequences of an attack like this and wanting to be incredibly careful with our reporting and the potential of what it could become. ben, with that news in mind, pick up on where you left off. >> we have seen iran use drones and attacks, iranian drones have been used in ukraine. iranian drones have been used by iran's proxies in attack on

u.s. forces across the region, including in syria and i rock. the question is, are they sending drones towards israel? they have pretty sophisticated air defense systems. in some capacity to defend itself by shooting down the drones. i wonder whether that totality of the response is drones or whether they have a ballistic missile program, whether they try to launch missiles in israel. the first concern and first question, is rather a radio acids are able to hit targets are israel's air defense systems and potential u.s. air defense capabilities stop the iranian assets from reaching israel's territory. then the question becomes, does israel respond to attacks directly into iranian territory ? which would be on the proxy were received across the region. do they have the revolutionary guard targets inside of iran? does that start a spiral of isolation?

the united states, the question is pretty clear that iran is not, right now, amy to target u.s. forces in the region. there is all kinds of reporting about iran sending messages, public and private are not seeking the conflict of united states and responding to the attack on the embassy in syria. my instinct is that the u.s. would not be looking to get directly involved in terms of military action in iran. this is incredibly unpredictable. we have already seen, as the war has gone on in the middle east, both in gaza and also in other places and lebanon and i rock and syria, things can escalate. and even in both parties and the united states as well, even if they do not want this to become a bigger and wider war, the momentum right now is clearly moving that direction. >> if you're just joining us, working this breaking news in, the idf, israeli defense forces

are confirming iran has launched a drone attack in israel. eddie details we do not know but it is coming in in a drip, drip away. as we get it we will confirm it and bring you more information. the big question, what will this be, and how will it escalate? one thing that stood out to me in what you were talking about is the potential of whether or not this attack is -- correct me if i'm wrong and i heard you write -- more of a scare tactic from iran than actual hit insight of israel, understanding israel's defense capabilities. do you see this as a possibility of just a scare tactic from m? -- mem? >> i think we do not know just yet. they take some time to get to them. that is why i'm curious whether there is additional assets. either ballistic missiles or iran has drawn capabilities in places like syria as well. whether this is part of a

multipronged attack that is focused in trying to hit israel and trying to take israeli life and israeli military targets. or whether it is a more symbolic effort to scare israel or demonstrate they are doing something in response. as has been discussed, the iranians feel a need to respond. they believe there is sovereign territory that was hit. the embassy in syria, to them, that is sovereign iranian territory. they want to attack in some way sovereign israeli territory. the question is whether they are really aiming to escalate in a big way using multiple capabilities, whether they are engaged in some kind of symbolic exercise. even if it is the latter, it still begs the question whether israel responds. >> iran surely understand his own abilities if the united states is pushed to the brink and must get involved as they said they will back israel until the end and warning the

present and the sound that i play the saying, don't. don't attack. warning iran not to attack. i want to bring in -- ben, please standby. i want to bring -- aaron, thanks for joining us on this last minute but i know you are hearing word of the breaking news as well. iran launching this drone attack on israel but give me your top of mind thoughts at the moment. >> i think ben has it right. the iranians are looking for a way to navigate, perhaps, the action. it answers israeli strikes against senior commanders and generals in damascus. on one hand, and to avoid what is almost certain to be in israeli retaliation on the other. dozens of drones have been launched from iran and it take

several hours, presumably, for the drones to arrive. these israelis have sophisticated air defense system supported by the united states. not clear whether this is an effort -- you do not get points for trying. that is the real concern here. if in fact these drones happen and the israelis can intercept them, are we able to conclude that there will be a lid placed on this escalation or will be israelis feel a need to respond? the reality is an israeli strike either on a military annex or a diplomatic meeting and syria is still a strike against iran he assets in serial -- syria. iranians have not responded direct and it is unprecedented in a strike against israel. whether they succeed or not, the real question is whether or not the israelis feel the need,

since there are deterrence in gaza has been compromised with the hamas terrorist on october 7th whether the israeli government. probably wall-to-wall, not just benjamin netanyahu looking for a way to prolong the war in an effort to avoid his political and legal travails but whether or not the israelis will feel they need to try to re- establish deterrence that sets off an cycle, which is very difficult to predict. >> i know, aaron, that we will not know the degree to which the strike will have until it happens. but when we talk about the potential retaliation from israel, if iran is targeting israel directly and these drones are headed directly towards israel, will israel not feel the need to respond considering, keeping in mind, what benjamin netanyahu has said and he wants to wipe out hamas.

you and i have time i was on the air, we know who funds hamas. hamas originates and all roads lead back to iran. netanyahu has been gunning for iran for a very long time. >> the question is, will it even interfere with retaliation against iran directly or is this going to set off retaliations by iran with the use of sophisticated ballistic missiles? they have the largest inventory of jonah ballistic missiles in the region. i am not sure that israeli defense planners, right now are looking for a major escalation. some folks believe it would happen across the lebanese border. interestingly enough, we will see if there's any response from hezbollah. it is much closer to israel. they have a repository of 100 to 150,000 missiles, even precision guided missiles of various ranges & jim.

if that front escalates, then the home front really does have a problem. has been a lot shut down the northern half of israel for 33 days with relatively unsophisticated inventory of missiles. you also have to keep your eye on that. i have been wrong so many times in terms of predictions. i would still believe neither israel or iran want something the middle east had never seen before. which is a major escalation. what ultimately, if in fact you end up in a counterstrike ballistic missiles, iran and israel i'm sure the iranians and the americans will get involved. and the iranians may target american assets in the gulf. you end up with something the u.s. has never seen before, a major, major regional war with skyrocketing prices, plunging

financial markets and a degree of instability that will go well beyond what you have witnessed, tragically in gaza. tough to predict. i am betting against an eskimo tory cycle that would trip into such a conflict. >> aaron, you bring up a good point about hezbollah. as folks were asking me about the potential of how this would look, when we knew the strike was imminent, i did talk about the possibility of hezbollah hitting from the north. what is your knowledge and understanding of how much control contact iran and iranian leaders have with hezbollah. we know they have less control over the houthis but are they closer has been a lot to spur an attack from the north? you make it necessary, yes. hezbollah always has the

insurance card that the iranians would activate. closer to israel, more likely to do a degree of damage on the home front. and the, of course, too, basically result in a counterstrike against lebanese infrastructure. the hezbollah carter, the iranians were holding in reserve in the event that they found themselves under direct attack by israel or the united states against their conventional military assets or, has been speculated about for years now, an effort to destroy iran's nuclear sites. if we are talking about a barrage of drones that israelis will find a way to intercept, they still believe that israel simply cannot stand down on that. they will have to figure out a way to respond directly against iran, unless there is no damage and israeli air defenses end up

meeting the challenge on all of the drones. i think it is really hard right now. >> aaron, standby. ben wrote standby. i want to bring in josh lederman , standing by. josh, bring us up to date. >> reporter: we are learning more from the israeli military about what has taken place in the last few minutes. the idf says that multiple drones were launched from my running territory towards israel. as they said and the idf is echoing, it will take several hours for the drones to actually arrive in the vicinity of israel. in the meantime, the israeli military and its air force are now undertaking what they are calling a defensive operation but they are implementing what they are calling an orderly plan to deal with this, including both air force fighter jets as well as navy

assets that are not being deployed to defend israeli territory. what does that mean? it means shooting down the drones, of course. part of what israel is also trying to do is make it harder for the drones to successfully reach their destination. the israeli military announcing that gps may be disabled in certain areas because they may suspect the iranian drones may utilize gps to get to the places that they are intended to go. as well as disabling gps, the military is now urging the public to really closely follow some of the orders to civilians that we discussed a little earlier, including the shutdown of large gatherings. they are telling people that if they hear an alarm, they need to go into their safe area for a minimum of 10 minutes. they urging people to be very cautious. we should point out there are a few major things we do not know.

of course, how many drones were launched, whether this is going to be multiple rounds of attacks or whether this was the totality of what iran is launching today. and whether any additional responsible include anything other than drones but we know u.s. officials have told nbc news that they anticipated the strike could also include i ronnie and missiles, which would be very significant and potentially more difficult for israel to shoot down. we do not have any confirmation that any missiles have been involved. this is something the israelis will pay close attention to. of course, we will have to wait and see how successful their defensive plans that they have been telegraphing for so long are in acceding with threats and shooting down the drones and making sure that you're unable to get to their destination. those are some of the issues we will watch with this extremely tense period that iranian drones as we speak, are in the air making their way towards

israeli territory. truly an unprecedented incident. >> josh lederman, standby. i want to bring in former cia officer at an msnbc national security and intelligence analyst. op at the top your head, what are you worried about? >> i think a lot of the response -- by the way, all the speakers have been outstanding. we have so many predictions that are wrong but it is hard to be in the predictive basis. we see these drones heading towards israel. just those drones alone, i'm quite confident that israeli air defense can deal with that. if the intelligence committee both in israel and the united states pickup launches of both crews and ballistic missiles. that is a much bigger problem but in the end, that could not necessarily overwhelm israeli air defense and defensive measures but some of these could get rupert ultimately, a

lot of the israeli response will be surrounding around casualties. remember the days after october 7th -- there was a significant israeli loss of life. that will certainly drive israeli actions in the days ahead. right now, i think they can handle the drones but we have to see you next several hours at their missiles. that will be a much bigger problem to management >> tram mai, one thing i've been thinking about doing what you used to do is the ground in iran. we know they have presents to a degree. they have human intelligence on the ground in iran. we know there are a running intelligent agents inside israel as well. are you concerned about retaliation happening on the ground in that way? as we have seen more historically and not recently

but certainly a way in which they can do it under the radar to not create a bigger conflict. >> i am sorry -- i'm certainly worried about i ronnie operatives overseas with both israeli and american targets. it is a very robust terroristic ability. you see what they did in buenos aires and i sent you. one of the potential i ronnie and moves after the attack in damascus was to certainly wait and put plans in place over weeks and months with israeli the mimetic facilities overseas. that is something i think israel cannot let its guard down. i don't think that is going to come in this time period but this time period is much more conventional strikes. there is also the word about my

running proxy attacks even against u.s. forces in the region as well. as aaron noted, a tremendous amount of uncertainty right now. >> ben rhodes, i want to bring you back into the conversation. i think tram mai brings up a good point. do you feel as if when you take a miscalculation and the killing of some of the top generals that a proxy attack was not enough for them? it would not be enough of a show of force from their perspective? >> reporter: i think there is two things that took place. the first, the killing of releasing your revolutionary guard commanders. and the second an attack on sovereign iranian territory. they consider and it is the case that an embassy is sovereign iranian territory. talk about reason and the -for-tat of this war we have seen from the iranian perspective there calculus is demanded a direct attack against israel.

they have been trying to message to the united states that they do not want this conflict to be with us. they are not looking to attack the united states. we will see whether this is meant to be, from their view, proportional response. it is limited and targeted or whether it is a part of a wave of attacks that could bring in has beloff from the north and ballistic missile assets. that would be a much more significant escalation. if they perceive this as some opportunity or necessity to impose an iger -- either larger costs in israel. the one thing is the last time that the killing or saturation of the senior commander, it was and i rock in the trump years. what iran did in response there was pretty significant ballistic missile attack into a rock on u.s. forces. they were limited injuries. i want to minimize them entirely because we learned later there was severe head

injuries from u.s. forces. but no casualties. that was that. iran did not look to respond beyond that. they show they respond in some way. the united states was looking at the conflict and then things settled. the main difference here is two fold. one, the context of an ongoing war in gaza that has already spread to different parts of the region for two, is now in balls, not just the killing of a commander but potentially attacks on iranian and israeli territory. that really is what puts us into new territory. and in the context of the regional war that is ongoing, can you contain this in the -for-tat , back-and-forth, in which neither side wants to see a full escalation into the region that could be so unpredictable. so devastating to all sides but also to global markets. it seems that people do not want that to happen but right now, the region is a box.

this is taking place in that context. >> two things here. i want folks to understand what we are looking at on our strings. this is of a picture of tel aviv. as all of our guests have said, we have confirmed that a drone attack has been much from iran towards israel. if you look at the geography of iran, the real distance between iran and israel, it will take several hours before the drones actually reach israel. as we know, israel has a robust defense system called the iron dome system. they could feasibly ward off some of the drone attacks. aaron, i think something that david brought up is important. it is taking into account the ongoing war between israel and gaza. and how much that is brought into the calculations for iran and begin about this retaliation in the killing of syria. -- in syria. >> as long as the hamas war

endures. and right now they are strategic. i do not see any way out. you are going to run the risk of continuing to go into the red sea along the border and for the first time, unprecedented, i ronnie efforts to strike israel directly. this used to be described as a campaign between the wars and shadow wars. all that is now out of the box. you now have iran launching this and claiming responsibility in retaliation. israeli response is yet to be seen or felt. only two additional points. whatever hope there was and i think it was fading for an israeli hamas prisoner deal, which was the administration's only way out to try to de- escalate the situation, humanitarian assistance into gaza and free hostages. i suspect thomas, not terribly

motivated to cut the deal to begin with. it is going to wait to see how the regional dust settles. they want as much regional confrontation as they possibly can. i am concerned about being a faded hope and it may have created -- faded completely. if they wanted to strike immediately and cause devastating consequences, they would have active it has beloff with the precision guided munitions they do have. it would take hours and would just be a matter of minutes. if they wanted to do damage and this may be act i to act two. we do not know that. if they wanted to inflict a lightning strike, they would have used has beloff. and that would have triggered the major escalation between israel and lebanon. again, it may well be that they are trying to walk the fine line

between demonstrating that they have an unprecedented fashion and try to strike. maybe they will succeed with the drones. but not doing enough to court what is an respiratory ladder that could lead to something the middle east has never experienced. >> two things i want to point out that we are getting news in from our own peter alexander when it comes to jordan's airspace, which is to be expected in this conflict that is developing with the launching of the drone attack from iran towards israel. i will read for you a statement from the jordanian embassy on their airspace. in order to safeguard civil aviation injured in airspace and in light of the risk in the region and following a risk assessment conducted according to international record high standards, it has decided to

close jordanian airspace to all incoming, outgoing and transiting flights from 4:00 p.m. eastern standard time for several hours. we are also getting a statement in from the national security council spokesperson saying, iran has began an airborne attack against israel. president biden is being updated on the situation by his national security team and will meet with them this afternoon at the white house. his team is in constant medication with officials as well as other partners and allies. this attack is likely to unfold over a number of hours. biden has been clear, the support for ours security is ironclad. the united states will stand with the people of israel to support their defense against the threats from iran. i want to bring back into the conversation, brie jackson, who is standing by at the white house and follies of elements out of there. what more are you learning as to what is going behind closed doors ? >> reporter: we are still awaiting for his arrival at the white house. we do know he will receive an

update from his national security team we are told that this meeting will take place in the situation room. that shows the urgency and the severity of this matter. the meeting is expected to include secretary of state antony blinken as well as defense secretary boyd austin pruitt we are told that vice president harris will attend this via video. the present, as you mentioned, has double down and said he is going to support israel for best and the white house as urged, even before this happened, urged israel not to strike. you did mention the statement that came from the national security team. they did say the u.s. will continue to stand with the people of israel and support their defense in this matter. when it comes to what we know about the u.s. positioning, so far here in the region, we do know that the u.s. has repositioned some of its resources that have already

been have there in the region, that includes aircraft and other defenses in preparation for the strike happening. >> brie jackson, thank you but i know you will monitor this as we await the president arriving back there. ben, i want to bring you back into the conversation. the president has cut his weekend short in delaware and going back to the white house and meeting with his national security team. talk me through the conversation you are expected to have inside the white house right now. >> i think you have the team around the table in the situation room. that type of meeting usually begins with an update for the president on what our intelligence committee and the military says is happening. i expect that whatever we know about the iranian drones that have been launched and what we know about any additional iranian tensions will be brief to the president. i'm sure there will be some update about the posture of u.s. forces is in the region. do we see danger?

do we need to take any further action to protect the personnel? and then i think you get a diplomatic update about the context that the united states had and the contact with the israeli government. i'm sure there has been plenty of contacts with the countries that have communications with iran, both to urge iran to not escalate this further but to also understand iranian intentions. the u.s. and the iranians do not talk directly but often times, you're talking to many in the region. lastly, you consider what the scenarios that we need to prepare for. do we need to prepare israel shoot down some of these drones ? what is our posture after we know what the attack is? this is to get the update and determine whether there any near-term decisions that need to be made or whether we are in a wait and see posture right now? >> what you make of aaron's

thought about if iran wants to strike immediately, they would have used hezbollah to strike in the north. i bring that up because i wonder -- if they did that in a way, they would be kind of sidestepping culpability. it would be come directly from iran, despite the fact that the world knows that hezbollah operates as a proxy of iran. to a certain extent, this is sending a message to the region that we can strike directly. >> i think aaron has it right. the reality is over many years, iran has helped hezbollah build up a massive rocket force that would be the effective and efficient way to hit israeli territory. in a strange way in which they are signally costly in the middle east, i think the ironies are singly, we are doing this ourselves because it's coming from our territory. we are responding from within our territory in iran against israeli territory. thus far, they are not doing the more maximalist option but

they're not using ballistic missiles or activity has been yet. if remains the case, in a way, they are sending their own message. we are responding but we are not doing the bigger response you know we could do. we are holding that in reserve we could have this drone attack is just the first wave of a broader attack. that is what everyone needs to see, whether it happens or not. i do think aaron is right. if this is the opportunity that iran saw to go in a full-blown role with israel, they would be activating all their assets and their most effective means of hitting israel are there ballistic missiles and hezbollah rockets in southern lebanon. thus far, they are not doing that. >> two things i'm hearing from you and i want to make sure i'm hearing clearly. this could be a scare tactic from iran, when it done moving on. and/or, this could be a distraction. they understand that the iron dome can ward off the drone attacks. however, they could then follow

this attack up with ballistic and cruise missiles if they are so inclined. >> that is exactly right. or was some kind of asymmetric attack somewhere else in the world, an attack on israeli demotic stability -- facility. or american issues print more likely israeli. is this it? are these drones the totality of what will be iran's response to that attack against the facility and syria? or is this part of a broader way that is coming? that is the key thing we have to determine. >> i want to bring in washington congressman adam smith. congressman, thanks for jumping on for us. give me your reaction to what we're hearing out of middle east. >> this is a very dangerous situation. ben was out mowing a number of ways this could go. the truth is no one knows exactly where it will go. both sides want to make sure that they do not appear week.

they want to make sure that they are responding. right now, that is most likely what iran is doing which is to say you cannot hit one of our consulates in syria and we do not do anything. they have to do something. i think that is the most likely outcome but it could spiral if one of the drones or missiles gets through and israel feels like they have to respond. it is a very dangerous situation and, hopefully, this attack can be thwarted without any significant damage. but then, you really got to get into discussions about how we calm tensions and stop the spread of this conflict. >> i want to read for you, congressman, a statement that we are getting it from the irgc in light of these launches. saying in response to crimes by the zionist regime , we have

lunch missiles and drones on specific locations in the occupied lands. what are you hoping, i should say, the present will take into account and how the united states backs israel in whatever response they choose? >> the biggest thing that has been ignored in this process is the threat that israel faces. i think israel needs to do more to provide humanitarian assistance in gaza, certainly the present has said that. people need to understand that iran, hezbollah, hamas are bent on the complete destruction of israel. they have the means to, at least, carry out the threat, if not to achieve the ultimate end. israel is trying to survive in that neighborhood. the present is going to remind people, that is the reason for our alliance with israel. they are an ally, a democratic nation in the mid east that

faces a threat to their existence. the people who are coming after them are nothing, don't attack us. there's and you know -- you have no right to exist in the first place but this is an accidental threat to israel. we will work with them and other folks in the region to try and get to a calmer situation. iran and their proxies, their proxies and i rock in syria and lebanon, hamas and yemen, their proxies are driving this conflict. they must be deterred to get to the point where we could have a more calm and peaceful situation. the president needs to make sure people remember that. that the images in gaza, the reality in gaza is horrific. the underlying cause of this is the threat from iran and others to israel's existence. i am not in love with the way israel has responded. particularly when it comes to the palestinian people in the west bank.

they face that threat and they're trying to live in that very, very dangerous environment. you might let me ask you desperate any immediacy ? if we think about the last couple of events. i'm talking specifically about the attack and syria on the iranian generals. what do you think the prime minister netanyahu's objective was and going after them? do you think it was to draw iran into this conflict? we know iran was acting through its proxies in the contract with the houthis and hezbollah. but they had not directly gotten drawn into the conflict. you think netanyahu was baiting iran into the conflict by going after the generals and syria? >> no. i do not agree with the decision but i can tell you exactly what prime minister netanyahu was trying to do. he was trying to get iran to back off and say, you have been providing missiles and weapons to hezbollah and hamas and threatening us through syria forever.

there will be a price to pay if you continue to do that. i happen to think that is an overly simplistic calculation on the prime minister's part. it is all part of this myth that they only respond to strikes. if you show strength, they will absolutely back down. sometimes, and sometimes they will react. they think that you will only respond to strength. it becomes an escalating problem. netanyahu is not trying to bait iran into a war. it is his belief by showing strength and making a wrong pay a price for what they have been doing, the proxies they have been supporting, his belief, that would get iran to back down that is a very dangerous game to play because you never know what the other side will do or if they're going to escalate. please, understand that netanyahu, as far as i could tell, was not looking for a wider war. he was looking to stop iran's effort that they have been doing and escalating in recent months.

>> congressman, appreciate it. good to talk to you. i want to bring in news chief international correspondent richard engel. he is on the ground in jerusalem. take us there, richard. are you hearing and seeing? >> reporter: just a short while ago we heard israeli jets flying over the sky here. air defenses have been intensified all across the country. all across the region. you mentioned a short while ago that jordan has closed its airspace. the israeli military has also issued directives from people to follow as the slow-motion attack is underway. for the next 48 hours, all gatherings over 1000 people have been banned. there will be no school, no university, no day care facilities. the military went on camera and gave a statement telling people to take this threat seriously. that drones have been launched

and they were much from inside iranian territory. and they are on their way but that they will take several hours to get here. it is roughly 700 miles between the israeli border and the iranian border. drones do not five particularly quickly. we do not know exactly when they are going to arrive, and they are not shut down ahead of time. it does seem like they could be shut down ahead of time because so much was anticipated about this attack. biden knew it was coming. intelligent services in the united states and across the region had been warning this kind of thing could be coming for the last several days with the warnings become more and more intense. israelis were told, take this seriously, go to shelters and we will inform you if there are other attacks coming. it is possible that these drones are only part of a larger coordinated attack and there could be ballistic missiles involved in this or cruise missiles, which are harder to stop than the slow-moving drones.

for now, that is where we are in israel in jerusalem, where the slow-motion attack is underway and israelis are being told to stay calm, be vigilant about follow instructions as these explosive drones get closer. >> i'm hearing traffic in the background and horns honking. i'm wondering if you sense, at all, a temperature change. i don't mean hot to cold but a temporary change amongst the israeli people with the launching of the drones. >> reporter: know. you do not sense that this country is in panic there are some cars out on the streets. earlier tonight, there was a demonstration in tel aviv against prime minister netanyahu , who people here, the demonstrators feel is not handling the work correctly and putting his own personal career ahead of the country. they were out on the streets despite the warnings.

we believe that this is happening right now. there was a threat that this could happen yesterday. israel has been on edge that this reprisal could have been coming for the last 48 to 72 hours. people have been out on the streets and going about their business and going to restaurants. right now, the military is telling people, do not take this lightly. take this seriously. it will take several more hours for the drones to arrive. there are also reports on the israeli media that we are working to confirm that another wave has potentially been launched. this is still very much a developing situation. for now, i think the country is tends but the streets have not cleared out. >> we have been talking about iran's proxies and how they have been continuous and their assault on israel throughout the israeli/gaza war.

we talked about how if iran wanted to hit israel directly, he would have gotten has a lot to do it. talk us through, richard, if you will, some of what we have seen from the proxies leading up to this moment. >> reporter: i think it was ben rhodes that you had on earlier and said the key to watch, is this it? is this the finality of iran's response to the attack on its embassy compound in damascus two weeks ago that killed seven ironies from the guard including a very senior general from the force, which is the external wing that is responsible for carrying out attacks by hezbollah and iran he and back to militias in iraq and syria. if it is, it seems like this could easily be contained because slow-moving drones that the israelis see almost as soon as they are launch, they see them with american support, the u.s. military has been helping them.

that is a sign that israel that iran does not want to escalate this further. we do not know yet. the drones, according to the israelis are still on their way here. a potential of a second wave and we really do not know if there will be other attacks that could be involved, with the ballistic missiles. we will learn a lot more about what iran's intentions are on how it plans to respond to the attack from two weeks ago in damascus as this unfolds between now and daybreak tomorrow. >> richer, i have reported both in israel and iran. when i saw the news come through that iran had launched the attack, i got the chills. because of the unprecedented moment we are potentially at. a direct conflict between iran and israel. we do not know, as you mentioned, and all panels of talked about what will come next. what the potential of what could become his incredible to think about this direct iran

israel conflict. >> reporter: the israeli foreign minister has said that if an attack is launched from my running territory and hence israeli territory, then israel will respond by attacking iranian soil. iran has already said the supreme leader that it believed the attack on the embassy in damascus was an attack on iranian soil. we are talking that language already where the two countries are discussing direct assault on each other, not the proxies. it would be a new phase of this conflict for the last six months iran has been attacking israel and israel has been attacking iran but going through the proxies, including hezbollah and hamas, which supported by iran. >> richard engel, thank you, my

friend. stay safe. i expect we will come back to you throughout the evening. i want to bring it were tyrell colonel jack jacobs to talk about more but what is developing. as we are talking, colonel, i want to bring folks up to date on what we're getting in with our own reporting at nbc news . we are learning with the beginning of this drone strike from iran, officials in the united states are expecting iran to launch missiles as part is what is expected to be in hours long operation. expected to last late into the night and going on to say the u.s. is prepared to help defend israel was ships including the uss carney. a destroyer that has been involved in shooting down houthi projectiles but is now repositioned to help. that is from u.s. officials directly to nbc news. what are you thinking right now as you think about this potential conflict? >> there is two things that come to mind. one, you already mentioned that we are repositioning assets to defend israel against attack

from iran. one of the considerations for the united states is to make sure that the houthis continue to be covered. we have a fairly substantial labor force in the region. they will all be repositioned so that protecting israel from iran will not denigrate the american capabilities from the houthis. richard brought up a significant point. that is about the phasing of all of this. we may be looking at, perhaps, the second phase of the middle east war. the first being the israeli attack on the iranian annex, this being the second phase. the real question is, what happens next to the extent that the israelis can shoot down the drones, that is one thing, --

but the iranians have a sentential capability that are more difficult to shoot down. we already know that military hierarchy, they have a series of targets in areas that are controlled by adversaries that they have targets already established and dialed in on iranian soil. if iranian assets make it all the way to israel and there are casualties on the ground and facilities destroyed, you can expect that the israelis will selectively attack facilities on the ground in iran. and then another phase with the war. >> okay. you said a lot of the things

there that i will have to take through our nbc news correspondent here as well confirming that u.s. officials are calling this eight, quote, unquote, major attack. as we have been talking, we are wondering as to whether or not this would be just a drone attack and everyone and and and that is it. it seems as if with our reporting coming into nbc news that what will be followed up by something else and it will be ongoing late into the night and being dubbed a major attack by u.s. officials. a few things that i want to talk to you. first is the defense system of iron dome for israel and how they can ward off a drone attack, possibly but how feasibly it could be overwhelmed with, for instance, crews or ballistic missiles that would follow up after a drone attack. >> easy to defend against relatively speaking. cruise missiles, also easy, unless, as you suggest, large number of vehicles, from iran

or other places to israel, extremely difficult to control and shoot down all of them. when you can expect that some will get there and there may be casualties on the ground as a result of an overwhelming attack from iran israel. >> with u.s. officials saying we are ready and the israeli art ready as well. commanders were meeting with officials for the past several days and now defense officials say they are traveling to the region. talking about corn board meeting -- coordinating for a potential attack. what does the coronation look why? are we seeing the fruits of that coordination with positioning of the uss carney? >> it is an issuing point but we have to remember that we are not the only people who are allies of israel. we have been working closely with nato in particular with

the british. a lot of operations that the central command has conducted in the region are in coordination with nato. and particularly with the british. and their capabilities reinforce hours. so that all of central command in the region responds in a like way. all targeting is done in a joint and combined way, all responses are done in a joint and combined way. and that levers the american capability so that when we include allies, it multiplies the capability to respond. however, if we are going to enter a new phase and there will be overwhelming response from attacks from iran and israel, you can bet that there there is always the possibility there will be collateral damage among