Monday morning news: April 15, 2024

SOUND: [Israel attack]

Israel-Iran » Fireballs lit up the night sky over Israel as air defenses intercepted hundreds of incoming missiles and drones.

Israel is hailing defense systems in the face of Iran’s unprecedented direct attack on Saturday.

GANTZ: [Speaking Hebrew]

War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz said those systems thwarted 99 percent of the incoming threats.

He also said—his words—“We will build a regional coalition and collect the price from Iran, in the way and at the time that suits us.”

BAGHERI: [Speaking Farsi]

Meantime, a top Iranian general, Mohammed Begheri said Iran planned no further direct attacks unless Israel moves against Iran.

Leaders in Tehran had promised retaliation for an airstrike that killed another top Iranian general in Syria.

Israeli Defense Forces spokesman Peter Lerner said the conflict with Iran is nothing new. It’s just spilling out into the daylight.

LERNER: Iran has been behind the scenes for many, many years, and even more so in the last 6 months during the war with Hamas — Iran is the financer, the trainer, and puppetmaster of all of these organizations, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

U.S. response » At the white House, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters:

KIRBY: Whether and how the Israelis respond, that’s going to be up to them. We understand that and we respect that. But the president’s been very clear, we don’t seek a war with Iran. We’re not looking for escalation here. 

But House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner said regardless of whether the White House is looking for escalation, it’s here.

TURNER: If this administration fails to step up to the plate and understand that we have an escalating conflict and that they make it clear to Iran that there are red lines, we will be in a broader conflict, and we will have less options.

He said the administration's public signaling that it wants to avoid further escalation at almost any cost actually emboldens Iran and makes it more dangerous.

The White House says the U.S. assisted Israel in shooting down the drones and missiles over Israel, but it has made clear it would not participate in any offensive action against Iran.

Ukraine aid latest » House Speaker Mike Johnson says he’ll renew efforts to advance a wartime aid bill that would include funds for Israel and other allies.

JOHNSON: The House Republicans and the Republican party understand the necessity of standing with Israel. We are going to try again this week. The details of that package are being put together right now. 

That package would also provide billions in aid for Ukraine. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul:

MCCAUL: I talked to the ambassador, our own ambassador to Ukraine as well. She said the situation is dire. You know, Karkiev could implode any day now. That’s 2 million people. And the power grid is under threat right now.

Another six civilians were just killed in Russian drone strikes and shelling across Ukraine.

Sydney attack aftermath » In Sydney, Australia a police officer and several bystanders are being hailed as heroes. One witness said he’s in awe of those who ran toward danger to take down an attacker who stabbed and killed six people at a shopping center Saturday.

WITNESS: I mean, the people confronting him, those people that were brave enough to take him on. Yeah, just amazing.

And Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told a local news outlet …

ALBANESE: That wonderful inspector who ran into danger by herself, and ordinary Australians putting themselves in harm’s way in order to help their fellow citizens. That bravery was quite extraordinary.

The 40-year-old attacker with a history of mental illness also wounded a dozen people before a police officer shot and killed him.

Trump calls for debate with Biden » On the campaign trail over the weekend, Donald Trump again challenged President Biden to debate him sooner rather than later.

TRUMP: While it’s a little bit typically early, we have to explain to the American people what is going on. Because they’re looking at the border, and they’re looking at inflation.

Trump heard there stumping in Pennsylvania, the only major swing state in which he does not have a lead over Biden in an average of recent polls. The latest numbers there suggest the race is tied.

And Trump has a half-point lead in Wisconsin. In all other big battleground states, he’s leading by about 3 points or more.

Democrats continue to hammer abortion » The governor of one of those battleground states is hammering Trump on abortion, which Democrats are pushing as a key election year issue. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer described Donald Trump this way to NBC’s Meet the Press …

WHITMER: The guy who appointed three lying Supreme Court justices to the bench who are the architects of the Roe repeal. 

For his part, the former president says the matter is now back with the states, and that’s where it belongs.

TRUMP: The states are working very brilliantly, in some cases conservative and some cases not conservative. But they’re working, and it’s working the way it’s supposed to.

He recently said he does not support abortion restrictions at the national level.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Oral arguments from the Supreme Court on Legal Docket. Plus, the Monday Moneybeat.

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