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Bangkok — Thailand is in the middle of its Songkran celebrations, marking the country’s traditional New Year, which have millions participating in the world’s biggest water fight. Thai officials and business owners have welcomed the festivities that increase the country's soft power and boost its economy. In many areas of Thailand, including the capital, Bangkok, Songkran public water fights usually last for three days starting on April 13. But this year the festival began a day earlier as Thailand enjoys a long public holiday weekend. In some areas, like the northern city of Chiang Mai, the public water fighting rituals tend to last longer. Millions of domestic tourists and foreign visitors celebrate the occasion, boosting business for Thai companies in the tourism industry. Chan Holland, owner of travel agency Canary Travel Thailand in Bangkok, said she believes this Songkran festival has attracted more visitors. “More people come to Songkran this year; it’s busier for both Thai and [international] tourists” she told VOA. “There are concerts and shows, parades at the royal grounds in front of the Grand Palace. The Thai government is trying to promote the festival more internationally.” May Kung, a part-owner of Ruen Thong restaurant in Bangkok, said bookings have increased. “My restaurant [bookings] are better than last year. About 20% [busier],” she told VOA. Thais enjoy the festivities by visiting temples, cleaning Buddha statues, and engaging in public water fights, which are seen as cleansing rituals. In Bangkok, excited revellers from Thailand and abroad began with the water dousing as early as Thursday. People in the capital wore colorful, flowery shirts, armed themselves with toy water guns and buckets of water, and drenched each other from morning until night. Authorities closed major roads for the crowds, but it was still shoulder-to-shoulder in popular areas like the Silom district, Khao San Road and the Sanam Luang field near the Grand Palace. The Siam Songkran Music Festival is another major event taking place over the weekend. The Thai government says the Songkran celebrations, officially the “Maha Songkran World Water Festival,” will be extended this year. This comes after UNESCO designated Songkran as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in December. “To honor its recent UNESCO designation, the 2024 festival will be celebrated [for up] to three weeks, from April 1 to 21, uniting all 77 provinces in a celebration of unmatched scale,” Nithee Seeprae, the deputy governor for marketing communications at the Tourism Authority of Thailand, told VOA. Confusion from some international visitors has put a damper on the celebrations. Some international visitors thought that public water fights would last for the entire three weeks, prompting the Thai government to respond by saying the celebrations would not all take place simultaneously. But the festival does come at a time when Thailand has fewer concerns than recent years. The Southeast Asian country has been marred by political unrest, military coups and the COVID-19 pandemic in the last decade. “It’s the first year under civilian government and without real fears regarding COVID-19,” Pravit Rojanaphruk, a veteran journalist at Khaosod English newspaper, told VOA. Thailand is now led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin after nine years under military governance. Songkran shows Thailand’s soft power, officials say. “The Srettha government is very keen to promote it as a key festival on the global calendar and in this regard, Thailand is succeeding, despite the fact that Songkran is also celebrated in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and even parts of China,” Pravit added. While the Songkran festival is one of the biggest holidays on the Thai calendar, the nationwide event significantly boosts the economy, which relies heavily on tourism. The industry provides around 20% of jobs in the Southeast Asian country. Thailand saw 28 million tourist arrivals in 2023 with 35 million expected in 2024. “We estimate that there will be over 500,000 international tourists in Bangkok and around for the Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2024 from April 11 to 15, joining locals and domestic travelers at the extravaganza at the heart of this year’s celebration,” Nithee Seeprae said. “For economic benefit, this constitutes 8.76 billion Baht (around $240 million) from international tourism and 15.66 billion Baht (around $428.3 million) from domestic tourism with 510,000 visitor arrivals and 4.29 million domestic trips,” he added. Tourism analyst Gary Bowerman said he believes Thailand’s government will want to maximize Songkran but must be cautious about overdoing the festival in the future. “Essentially, Thailand is seeking to ‘extend the franchise,’ and make Songkran a three-week festival around the country to promote water-themed tourism activities,” he told VOA. “The timing is important, as this is the start of the traditional off-peak season, and the [Tourism Authority of Thailand] doesn’t want the momentum that developed in the first quarter to drop significantly, as it has set itself an ambitious full-year visitor arrivals target. “The risk is that, ultimately, you could dilute the cultural resonance of Songkran, and turn it into a less meaningful event across a longer period. There will be a lot of learnings from this first year of making it an extended festival. Next year will likely see further changes based on the 2024 Songkran experiences for the tourism sector across the country,” he added.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

ISLAMABAD — Heavy flooding from seasonal rains in Afghanistan has killed at least 33 people and injured 27 others in three days, a Taliban spokesman said Sunday. Abdullah Janan Saiq, the Taliban’s spokesman for the State Ministry for Natural Disaster Management, said Sunday that flash floods hit the capital, Kabul, and several other provinces across the country. He added more than 600 houses were either partially or completely destroyed while around 200 livestock perished. The flooding also damaged around 800 hectares of agricultural land, and more than 85 kilometers (53 miles) of roads, Saiq said. Western Farah, Herat, southern Zabul and Kandahar are among the provinces that suffered the most damage, he added. The weather department has warned that more rain is expected in the coming days in most of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Jerusalem — An incoming attack by more than 300 Iranian drones and ballistic missiles was the latest challenge to Israel's air defense system, which already has been working overtime to cope with incoming rocket, drone and missile attacks throughout the six-month war against Hamas. Israel's defense system with assistance from the U.S. and Britain is credited with preventing serious damage or casualties. Here's a closer look at Israel's multilayered air-defense system: The Arrow: This system developed with the U.S. is designed to intercept long-range missiles, including the types of ballistic missiles Iran said it launched on Saturday. The Arrow, which operates outside the atmosphere, has been used in the current war to intercept long-range missiles launched by Houthi militants in Yemen. David's Sling: Also developed with the U.S., the David's Sling is meant to intercept medium-range missiles, such as those possessed by Hezbollah in Lebanon. Patriot: This American-made system is the oldest member of Israel's missile-defense system — used during the First Gulf War in 1991 to intercept Scud missiles fired by Iraq's leader at the time, Saddam Hussein. The Patriot is now used to shoot down aircraft, including drones. Iron Dome: This system, developed by Israel with U.S. backing, specializes in shooting down short-range rockets. It has intercepted thousands of rockets since it was activated early last decade — including thousands of interceptions during the current war against Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel says it has a success rate of over 90%. Iron Beam: Israel is developing a new system to intercept incoming threats with laser technology. Israel has said this system will be a game changer because it is much cheaper to operate than existing systems. However, it is not yet operational.

Foumban, Cameroon — To enter the Museum of the Bamoun Kings in western Cameroon, you have to pass under the fangs of a gigantic two-headed snake — the highlight of an imposing coat of arms of one of the oldest kingdoms in sub-Saharan Africa. Thousands of Cameroonians gathered in the royal palace square in Foumban on Saturday to celebrate the opening of the Museum of the Bamoun Kings. Sultan King Mouhammad Nabil Mforifoum Mbombo Njoya welcomed 2,000 guests to the opening of the museum located in Foumban — the historic capital of the Bamoun Kings. The royal family, descendants of a monarchy that dates back six centuries, attended the event dressed in traditional ceremonial attire with colorful boubous and matching fezzes. Griot narrators in multicolored boubous played drums and long traditional flutes while palace riflemen fired shots to punctuate the arrival of distinguished guests which included ministers and diplomats. Then, princes and princesses from the Bamoun chieftaincies performed the ritual Ndjah dance in yellow robes and animal masks. For Cameroon, such a museum dedicated to the history of a kingdom is "unique in its scope", Armand Kpoumie Nchare, author of a book about the Bamoun kingdom, told AFP. "This is one of the rare kingdoms to have managed to exist and remain authentic, despite the presence of missionaries, merchants and colonial administrators," he said. The Bamoun kingdom, founded in 1384, is one of the oldest in sub-Saharan Africa. To honor the Bamoun, the museum was built in the shape of the kingdom's coat of arms. A spider, which is over 5,000 square meters (54,000 square feet), sits atop the building while the entrances represent the two-headed serpent. "This is a festival for the Bamoun people. We've come from all over to experience this unique moment," 50-year-old spectator Ben Oumar said. "It's a proud feeling to attend this event. We've been waiting for it for a long time," civil servant Mahamet Jules Pepore said. The museum contains 12,500 pieces including weapons, pipes and musical instruments -- only a few of which were previously displayed in the royal palace. "It reflects the rich, multi-century creativity of these people, both in terms of craftsmanship and art — Bamoun drawings — as well as the technological innovations of the peasants at various periods: Mills, wine presses etc.," Nchare said. Also on display are items from the life of the most famous Bamoun King, Ibrahim Njoya, who reigned from 1889 to 1933 and created Bamoune Script, a writing system that contains over 500 syllabic signs. The museum exhibits his manuscripts and a corn-grinding machine he invented. "We pay tribute to a king who was simultaneously a guardian and a pioneer... a way for us to be proud of our past in order to build the future" and "show that Africa is not an importer of thoughts," Njoya's great-grandson, the 30-year-old Sultan King Mouhammad said. To commemorate his grandfather's work, former Sultan King Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya launched the construction of the museum in 2013 after realizing the palace rooms were too cramped. The opening of the museum comes months after the Nguon of the Bamoun people, a set of rituals celebrated in a popular annual festival, joined UNESCO's List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.  

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Jakarta — At least 19 people have been found dead and two more are missing after a landslide in central Indonesia, local authorities said on Sunday.    The dead and two survivors were evacuated from two landslide-hit villages in Tana Toraja regency, South Sulawesi province on Saturday evening, said local disaster agency head Sulaiman Malia.    "There have been 19 fatalities, with 4 deaths in South Makale and 15 others in Makale villages," Malia told AFP on Sunday.    "Currently, we are still searching for other victims," he said, adding that there are still two individuals reported missing, presumably buried under the landslide debris.    Tana Toraja and its surrounding areas have been "continuously hit by heavy rainfall, especially over the past week, with hardly any stop", Malia added.    The heavy rainfall eroded the soil of residential areas located on mountain slopes, leading to landslides that buried residents' homes, he said.    Indonesia is prone to landslides during the rainy season and the problem has been aggravated in some places by deforestation, with prolonged torrential rain causing flooding in some areas of the archipelago nation.    Last month flash floods and landslides on Sumatra island killed at least 30 people with scores still missing.    A landslide and flooding swept away dozens of houses and destroyed a hotel near Lake Toba on Sumatra in December, killing at least two people. 

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

GRANTS PASS, Oregon — A pickleball game in this leafy Oregon community was suddenly interrupted one rainy weekend morning by the arrival of an ambulance. Paramedics rushed through the park toward a tent, one of dozens illegally erected by the town's hundreds of homeless people, then play resumed as though nothing had happened. Mere feet away, volunteers helped dismantle tents to move an 80-year-old man and a woman blind in one eye, who risked being fined for staying too long. In the distance, a group of boys climbed on a jungle gym. The scenes were emblematic of the crisis gripping the small, Oregon mountain town of Grants Pass, where a fierce fight over park space has become a battleground for a much larger, national debate on homelessness that has reached the U.S. Supreme Court. The town's case, set to be heard April 22, has broad implications for how not only Grants Pass, but communities nationwide address homelessness, including whether they can fine or jail people for camping in public. It has made the town of 40,000 the unlikely face of the nation’s homelessness crisis, and further fueled the debate over how to deal with it. “I certainly wish this wasn’t what my town was known for,” Mayor Sara Bristol told The Associated Press last month. "It’s not the reason why I became mayor. And yet it has dominated every single thing that I’ve done for the last 3 1/2 years.” Officials across the political spectrum — from Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in California, which has nearly 30% of the nation’s homeless population, to a group of 22 conservative-led states — have filed briefs in the case, saying lower court rulings have hamstrung their ability to deal with encampments. Like many Western communities, Grants Pass has struggled for years with a burgeoning homeless population. A decade ago, City Council members discussed how to make it “uncomfortable enough ... in our city so they will want to move on down the road.” From 2013 to 2018, the city said it issued 500 citations for camping or sleeping in public, including in vehicles, with fines that could reach hundreds of dollars. But a 2018 decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals changed the calculus. The court, whose jurisdiction includes nine Western states, held that while communities are allowed to prohibit tents in public spaces, it violated the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment to give people criminal citations for sleeping outside when they had no place else to go. Four years later, in a case challenging restrictions in Grants Pass, the court expanded that ruling, holding that civil citations also can be unconstitutional. Civil rights groups and attorneys for the homeless residents who challenged the restrictions in 2018 insist people shouldn't be punished for lacking housing. Officials throughout the West have overstated the impact of the court decisions to distract from their own failings, they argued. “For years, political leaders have chosen to tolerate encampments as an alternative to meaningfully addressing the western region’s severe housing shortage,” the attorneys wrote. “It is easier to blame the courts than to take responsibility for finding a solution.” In Grants Pass, the town’s parks, many lining the picturesque Rogue River, are at the heart of the debate. Cherished for their open spaces, picnic tables, playgrounds and sports fields, they host everything from annual boat-racing festivals and vintage car shows to Easter egg hunts and summer concerts. They’re also the sites of encampments blighted by illegal drug use and crime, including a shooting at a park last year that left one person dead. Tents cluster along riverbanks, next to tennis courts and jungle gyms, with tarps shielding belongings from the rain. When the sun comes out, clothes and blankets are strung across tree branches to dry. Used needles litter the ground. Grants Pass has just one overnight shelter for adults, the Gospel Rescue Mission. It has 138 beds, but rules including attendance at daily Christian services, no alcohol, drugs or smoking and no pets mean many won't stay there. Cassy Leach, a nurse, leads a volunteer group providing food, medical care and other basic goods to the town's hundreds of homeless people. They help relocate their tents to comply with city rules. At one park last month, she checked on a man who burned his leg after falling on a torch lighter during a fentanyl overdose and brought him naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal medication. In another, she distributed cans of beans, peas and Chef Boyardee mini ravioli from a pickup truck. “Love, hope, community and a safety net is really as important as a shower and water,” Leach said. Dre Buetow, 48, from northern California, has been living in his car for three years after a bone cancer diagnosis and $450,000 in medical bills. The illness and treatment kept him from returning to his old tree-trimming job, he said. Laura Gutowski’s husband died from a pulmonary embolism and she suddenly found herself, in her 50s, with no income. They didn’t have life insurance or savings and, within a month, she was sleeping outside in the city she grew up in. “I used to love camping,” she said through tears. “And now I can’t stand it anymore.” Volunteers like Leach came to her rescue. “They’re angels,” she said. But some residents want to limit aid because of the trash left behind after encampment moves or food handouts. The City Council proposed requiring outreach groups to register with the city. The mayor vetoed it, laying bare the discord gripping Grants Pass. Before the council attempted, unsuccessfully, to override the veto last month, a self-proclaimed “park watch” group rallied outside City Hall with signs reading, “Parks are for kids.” Drivers in passing cars honked their support. The group regularly posts images of trash, tents and homeless people on social media. On Sundays, they set up camp chairs in what they say is a bid to reclaim park space. Brock Spurgeon says he used to take his grandkids to parks that were so full it was hard to find an available picnic table. Now, open drug use and discarded needles have scared families away, he said. “That was taken away from us when the campers started using the parks,” he said. Still, Spurgeon said his own brother died while homeless in a nearby city, and his son is living in the parks as he struggles with addiction. Once, he said, he realized with shock that the homeless person covered with blankets that he stepped past to enter a grocery store was his son. “I miss my son every night, and I hold my breath that he won’t OD in the park,” Spurgeon said. Mayor Bristol and advocates have sought to open a shelter with fewer rules, or a designated area for homeless people to camp. But charged debates emerged over where that would be and who would pay for it. While support for a designated campground appears to be growing, the problem remains: Many homeless people in Grants Pass have nowhere else to live. And some advocates fear a return of strict anti-camping enforcement will push people to the forest outside town, farther from help. Even if the Supreme Court overturns the 9th Circuit's decisions, Bristol said, "we still have 200 people who have to go somewhere.” "We have to accept that homelessness is a reality in America,” she said.

PITTSBURGH, USA — More than two dozen river barges broke loose from their moorings and floated down the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, striking one bridge that had already been preemptively closed and damaging a marina, officials said. The boats eventually were pinned to the riverbank or went over a dam downstream, officials said. Pittsburgh police, fire and emergency medical services responded around 11:25 p.m. Friday to reports of the barges “floating uncontrolled” down the river, Pittsburgh Public Safety said in a statement. The area had been hit by flooding after heavy rains Thursday. The Sewickley Bridge was struck by a barge a few minutes before 2 p.m. Saturday, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said. It “was closed in advance of the strike and will remain closed until our crews complete an inspection," spokesperson Steve Cowan said. Officials in Moon Township, which is connected by the bridge to the community of Sewickley, earlier said the span would be temporarily closed “due to unmanned barge passing through.” Eleven of the 26 barges that broke free were quickly contained to one side by another towing vessel just downstream, said Cmdr. Justin Jolley of the Coast Guard marine safety unit in Pittsburgh. Nine others were collected at the Emsworth lock and dam downstream. Five or six barges went through the dam. Four ended up just downstream at a lock and dam, while another ended up on the bank of the river and was stabilized. Marine safety units were searching for one barge unaccounted for, Jolley said. Pittsburgh public safety officials reported damage to Peggy’s Harbor, a marina on the river. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the McKees Rocks Bridge was also closed as a precaution but later reopened following inspection. Twenty-three of the barges were carrying dry cargo, mostly coal, and at least one was loaded with fertilizer, according to the owner, Jolley said. Three were empty. There were no hazardous materials on any of the vessels, the city said. The Coast Guard put out a broadcast notice to mariners to inform them about the potential hazard, but high water was preventing traffic on the river, Jolley said. The barges were owned or operated by Campbell Transportation Co., the city's statement said. Jolley said Coast Guard officials were working with the owner on a salvage plan. Pennsylvania State Police and other agencies were also alerted. The vulnerability of bridges to strikes from barges and ships came into stark relief last month when a container ship rammed a support of the major Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, collapsing the span and leading to the deaths or presumptive deaths of six road workers.

Indio, USA — Coachella day two was heavy on alt-rock throwbacks including a highly anticipated No Doubt reunion, but it was Taylor Swift — who wasn't on the lineup and didn't perform -- creating buzz on Saturday. Her mere presence at the mammoth festival in the California desert set the internet alight, after she made a much-speculated appearance... as a fan, canoodling and dancing with beau Travis Kelce as Bleachers performed a rollicking set. The rock band Bleachers is fronted by Jack Antonoff, Swift's friend and longtime producer. Kelce's blocking skills came in handy as the 6'5" (1.96 meters) NFL tight end did well to obscure his wildly famous girlfriend from view, as the couple enjoyed the show from just offstage. Still, an AFP journalist saw the lovebirds twirling and singing along during the performance of Antonoff, who's co-written and produced several of Swift's albums. Fan videos quickly started circulating online. Swift's cameo comes less than a week before her forthcoming album, "The Tortured Poets Department," drops on April 19. Shortly after the Bleachers set Swift and Kelce were caught by fan cameras as they stood in the VIP section for a blazing performance from Ice Spice, the Bronx rapper who collaborated on a remix of Swift's "Karma." The crowd went berserk when Ice Spice shouted out her megastar pal — but the rapper performed "Karma" on her own with a backing track, giving Swift the chance to watch a rendition of her own song from the vantage point of the crowd. The 34-year-old billionaire is currently on break from her blockbuster Eras tour. Some fans had speculated Swift might join friend and fellow Antonoff associate Lana Del Rey, who headlined Friday's opening night. There's always next weekend, which is essentially a repeat of the first three days of the festival but usually includes a few shakeups. Tyler, the Creator was the top-billed act Saturday, bursting onto the stage in flames from inside a camper van that was parked in a set mimicking a desert mountain scene. The eccentric performer — who sported both Palestinian and Congolese flag pins — invited a number of special guests including Kali Uchis, Childish Gambino and A$AP Rocky. Doja Cat is on deck to headline Sunday. Alt-rock roots and Paris Hilton Coachella started as a rock festival but in recent years it's leaned increasingly into pop, rap and the Latino megastars who rule the streaming charts. But Saturday's lineup offered a portrait of nostalgia: No Doubt — the group fronted by Gwen Stefani — played together for the first time in 15 years. Stefani, 54, bounded across the stage boasting the vocals of her youth, leading the crowd in singalongs of the group's classics including "Just A Girl" and "Don't Speak." English rockers Blur also took the stage, while stoner reggae rock group Sublime — the 1990s act beloved for hits including "Santeria" — drew throngs of fans to the main stage for a sunset performance featuring the late frontman Brad Nowell's son Jakob leading the way. Vampire Weekend made a last-minute return to the desert, having last performed there more than a decade ago. The veteran indie rockers whose hits including "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" were brought in just last week, and frontman Ezra Koenig, who sported a striped Pogues sweatshirt, told cheering fans he'd been leaning back sipping ranch water — a cocktail of seltzer, tequila and lime — in Texas when he got a text asking if they'd come on board. The group just released their fifth album, "Only God Was Above Us," and played a mix of fan favorites and new work, including a 15-minute honky tonk mash-up. They also randomly brought Paris Hilton onstage to play a quick round of cornhole -- a popular North American bean bag-based lawn game — as part of a giveaway of chocolate for front-row fans. "I haven't played this game since 'The Simple Life,'" the cowboy-hat wearing socialite and reality TV icon quipped, a referencing to the cult mid-2000s series she starred in with Nicole Richie. "Make some noise for 'The Simple Life!'" yelled Koenig to laughs and applause.  

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Washington — Israel says its air defenses were successful in defending against Iran’s strikes on the country while Tehran warned of further attacks if Israel retaliates. Iran’s top military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, issued a predawn statement Sunday, saying that it launched missiles and drones from Iranian territory toward Israel. It said the attack was in retaliation for what Iranian officials say was an Israeli strike that killed several senior Iranian military commanders in Damascus on April 1. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the April 1 strike. Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Sunday Iran launched more than 300 projectiles toward Israel, including launches from Yemen and Iraq, with 99% intercepted by Israeli air defenses outside of Israeli airspace. The Israel Airports Authority also announced early Sunday that as of 7:30 a.m., Israeli airspace had reopened. It said flight schedules in Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport were subject to change. Iran urged Israel not to retaliate for the strikes. "The matter can be deemed concluded," Iran's mission to the United Nations said in a post on social media platform X. "However, should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran's response will be considerably more severe," the mission said. Leaders of the G7 leading industrial countries will hold a video conference Sunday to discuss Iran’s strikes on Israel. The session was called by Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the group, whose members also include the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, and Canada. Iran's aerial attack on Israel from Iranian territory marked a major escalation in conflict between the rival regional powers and prompted action by U.S. forces in support of Israel. Video posted on social media late Saturday showed some of the projectiles being intercepted over central and southern Israel and others hitting the ground and exploding as sirens wailed. Hagari also was quoted as saying one impact wounded a young girl in the southern Negev desert. An IDF statement posted to the X platform said several other impacts caused minor damage to infrastructure at an IDF base in southern Israel. In a message sent to VOA, Israeli reserves Brig. Gen. Jacob Nagel, a former national security adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli forces were assisted by their U.S., British, Jordanian and Saudi allies in intercepting the Iranian projectiles. A U.S. military official confirmed to VOA that U.S. forces "continue to shoot down Iranian-launched drones targeting Israel.” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant briefed U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about Israel’s defensive responses to the Iranian attacks, according to a statement from Gallant’s office. It said Gallant emphasized that the Israeli defense establishment is “prepared for any further attempts to attack” the country. U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Netanyahu late Saturday. The official said Biden’s national security team “will continue to work with partners in the region to prevent further escalation.” As the Iranian assault began, Netanyahu said in a televised message that Israel would defend itself "against any threat and will do so level-headedly and with determination.” At around the same time, White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson issued a statement saying the United States will "stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran.” "This attack is likely to unfold over a number of hours. President Biden has been clear: our support for Israel's security is ironclad,” Watson said. Netanyahu acknowledged that support in his own statement, saying, "We appreciate the U.S. standing alongside Israel, as well as the support of Britain, France and many other countries.” In a post on the X platform, Iran’s U.N. mission in New York said the aerial attack on Israel marks the conclusion of Tehran’s military action. It added: “Should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe. It is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the U.S. MUST STAY AWAY!” In an updated statement posted later, the IRGC warned that any U.S. participation in harming the interests of Iran will be met with a “decisive and remorseful response” by Iranian forces. Nagel, a senior fellow with the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the Iranian attack, the first of its kind in decades of hostility between Iran and Israel, likely will be a turning point in the conflict. “Probably we are going to see a regional confrontation, because it is not only Iran against Israel, but Iran against the free world,” he said. VOA National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this report. Some information for this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.