Iran attack 'will be met with a response,' Israel says

Herzi Halevi, the Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, said Iran's attack on Israel over the weekend will be met with retaliation.

"The launch of so many (Iranian) missiles, cruise missiles, UAVs into the territory of the State of Israel will be met with a response," Halevi said during a visit to the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel. The Nevatim base sustained minor damage after Iran's attack, according to the Israeli military.

The US, Israel's top ally, has said they are not clued into the plans. 

"We will let the Israelis speak to that," White House spokesperson John Kirby said during a media briefing on Monday. "We are not involved in their decision-making process about a potential response."

Israel discussing retaliation options, wants to coordinate with US — Israeli media

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his government's war cabinet for an almost three-hour meeting on Monday to discuss Israel's response to Iran's massive aerial attack over the weekend.

According to Israeli broadcaster Channel 12, the options discussed range from minor to more intense, with Israel aiming to strike a balance between inflicting damage on Iran but not sparking a full-scale regional war.

The three-man war cabinet, in which Netanyahu is joined by defense minister Yoav Gallant and opposition centrist Benny Gantz, reportedly wants to coordinate any measures with the United States.

Washington, however, has made it clear that, while it will continue to defend Israel, it will not participate in any direct attacks on Iran.

Biden wants to prevent Middle East conflict spreading

US President Joe Biden said on Monday that Washington is "committed to Israel's security" and to returning hostages held by Hamas — but also to preventing a further spread of the conflict in the Middle East.

"We're committed to a cease-fire that will bring the hostages home and prevent the conflict spreading more than it already has," Biden said ahead of a meeting with Iraq's Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani at the White House.

Biden praised Saturday night's "unprecedented military effort to defend Israel," when an international coalition helped the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shoot down most of the 300 plus drones and missiles fired by Iran. "Together with our partners, we defended that attack," Biden said, and called for further cooperation in the region.

Addressing his Iraqi counterpart, he said: "Our partnership is pivotal for our nations, the Middle East and the world," while al-Sudani said the discussion comes at a "sensitive time."

Biden said he was "also committed to the security of our personnel and partners in the region, including Iraq."

The talks are expected to revolve specifically around the continued presence of US troops in Iraq as part of an anti-jihadist coalition. At least one Iranian ballistic missile was reportedly shot down by a US Patriot air defense battery station in Irbil, Iraq, on Saturday.

Al-Sudani said that, while views may differ on certain developments in the region, the US-Iraq relationship is at an "important juncture." He said he would like to work towards transitioning that relationship from purely military to one of "full partnership."

Hezbollah claims setting up explosives that injured Israeli soldiers

The Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group on Monday said it detonated "explosive devices" that targeted Israeli soldiers. 

Hezbollah said its fighters "planted explosive devices in the Tal Ismail area" inside Lebanon, and said they were detonated when Israeli troops encroached on Lebanese territory.

Hezbollah is a Shiite militant group that receives financial and military support from Iran and has been designated a terrorist organization by Israel, the US, Germany and other governments.

Separately, the Israeli military had said that four of its soldiers had been injured in an explosion along the northern border with Lebanon.

An Israel Defense Forces spokesperson also told AFP news agency that "we confirm that the incident occurred inside Lebanon."

The incident comes amid soaring tensions following Iran's missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

There have been near-daily clashes along the border between Israel and Lebanon since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, which was triggered by Hamas' terror attack on Israel on October 7 last year. 

Germany summons Iranian ambassador following attack on Israel

Germany summoned Iran's ambassador on Monday morning, news agencies reported, citing the German Federal Foreign Office.

The move comes after Iran's missile and drone attack on Israel over the weekend.

"I can inform you that the Iranian ambassador has been summoned to the foreign ministry this morning and that the talks are currently taking place," a spokesman for the ministry told a regular government press conference, without specifying what issue would be raised.

Earlier on Monday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Israel had been successful in defending itself from what he called "a very brutal Iranian attack" and said steps now needed to be taken towards de-escalating the situation.