Fox News: Israel Bombs Iran

CHAFFETZ: “Trey, you’re always right in the heart of everything. What is happening? Is there an attack by Israel onto Iran?”

YINGST: “Yeah, Jason, good evening. Fox News can confirm that Israel has started their attack against Iran following a ballistic missile attack that was launched against Israel earlier this month. Explosions have been reported in and around the Iranian capital of Tehran, as well as in the northern part of the country. We do understand at this hour it is a fluid and developing story. It appears at this moment that the Israeli attack against Iran is ongoing. I spoke this evening with a senior official who gave us some context into the days leading up to this highly anticipated Israeli strike against Iranian territory. This strike, according to this senior official, was meant to send a message of deterrence to the Iranian regime and there was communication with the Americans beforehand as the region waits to see what will come next. But again, the latest information that we have, multiple explosions have been reported in and around the Iranian capital of Tehran, as well as in the northern part of Iran. We don’t know the exact targets, but I am told that some of the targets were taken off the list following American pressure. There have been a lot of conversations taking place with top Israeli leadership here in Tel Aviv and in Jerusalem, talking with their counterparts in Washington to determine how to deter the Iranians, but not drag the region into a broader war. Now, one other important note here, an Israeli official tells me the expectation is that following the strikes tonight against Iran, there will be some sort of response. Of course, they don’t know what that response will look like, but Israeli air defense remains on high alert across this country. There is an understanding that Iran has the ability to target Israel with a variety of ballistic missiles, as they did earlier this month when they launched 180 of them toward this country. And so, Israel’s top defense systems, including the Arrow 2 and 3 systems, do remain on alert to be able to protect some of the more sensitive targets across this country. Jason?”

CHAFFETZ: “Trey, let’s go back to what really led to this because there was, anticipated going to be some response by the Israelis. Is this purely a missile attack? Are there fighter jets over Iranian space at this time? Do you know the details of how this attack is taking place?”

YINGST: “I don’t want to get into the details, just given how sensitive the information is and the fact that it’s unfolding as we speak, but we have a lot of information. I’ve been talking with officials this evening and throughout the week in anticipation of this strike taking place. Remember, as we reported the past several weeks, this was not a question of if Israel would respond, but rather when and where. 180 ballistic missiles were fired by the Iranians and everyone from top army generals to Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, to the country’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made very clear that the Iranian attack against Israel was the regime in Tehran crossing a red line. The deterrence had been flipped, and the Israelis wanted to restore that deterrence. And that is part of what they are doing with these strikes tonight against Iran, I am told. And again, we don’t know exactly how widespread the strikes will be, and we don’t know the exact targets, but we do know there has been communication with the Americans. Of course, there was the story of this leak earlier in the week and a real concern that the American leak could have damaged the Israeli preparations. I’m told that that did not affect the Israeli timeline to ultimately strike Iran. But it is, of course, of concern to Israeli officials as they continue to communicate with their American counterparts about the escalating tension across the region.”