SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
The war in Iran has now entered its second month with no let-up in fighting, nor any apparent progress on ceasefire talks as the U.S. sends more military assets to the region. Overnight, Iran struck a military base in Saudi Arabia, injuring at least a dozen U.S. service members stationed there. NPR's Carrie Kahn is in Tel Aviv. Carrie, thanks for being with us.
CARRIE KAHN, BYLINE: Good morning.
SIMON: It appears that fighting in the last 24 hours has been significant. Please bring us up to date.
KAHN: Israel says it hit major Iranian infrastructure this morning in its strikes Friday. Iran says it has retaliated. A military spokesman this morning gave some very strong statements about striking U.S. assets, including that apparently significant air defense breach at the Saudi military base, and that leaving, as you said, U.S. service members injured. There were attacks at Kuwait's airport and a port in Oman. And this is new, Scott, the Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have joined the war. They fired for the first time in this conflict at Israel overnight. That missile was successfully intercepted.
SIMON: But I understand Iranian missiles did get through Israel's multilayered aerial defense system elsewhere, right? One man was killed in Tel Aviv where you are.
KAHN: Yes. He was a 50-year-old security guard. That was in one location. The airstrike was right before midnight last night. It was a cluster bomb - that's according to Israel's military - hitting multiple sites, including, Scott, the apartment complex where I am. I was in the safe room when something hit the complex here, and it was a loud, loud boom. It just sounded like metal on metal. And after getting the all clear, I could see the facade to one of the buildings was very damaged, windows blown out. And this is on the back of a major breach of Israel's defense system just one week ago in the south, near Israel's nuclear facility.
SIMON: Do the U.S. and Israel say they have enough interceptors to guard against this range of missiles and drones from Iran?
KAHN: They will not comment directly on targets or numbers of interceptors, but there is recognition that Iran has shifted to using these so-called cluster bombs, and they release multiple detonations when they're intercepted. They could cause a lot of damage. Here's Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani in a recent briefing he gave us. He points to what he often says is Israel's 90% interception, right? And what he says is Israel's complete control of Iranian airspace.
NADAV SHOSHANI: Dozens of Israeli air force every day go back and forth and complete waves after waves of strikes targeting Iranian terror regime infrastructure.
KAHN: President Trump echoes that same assertion, but clearly Iran has been able to get munitions through, and they've caused serious damage.
SIMON: And, Carrie, what do you hear from people around the region at this mark of one month into the war?
KAHN: We've heard from Gulf residents, especially in Dubai, they're concerned about damage to the Emirates' reputation as a safe haven. They're not used to being attacked. Actually, the Gulf is receiving more missiles than even Israel. For Israelis, they're exhausted from scrambling in and out of bomb shelters all day and night, but they remain defiantly supportive of the war. It's difficult to reach Iranians with the internet blackout, but our reporters have talked to many leaving Iran at the Turkey border. All ask for anonymity, as Iran has cracked down on people speaking to foreign media. This man told NPR, as many have, he supports the U.S. and Israeli campaign, even if airstrikes are hurting Iran.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Non-English language spoken).
KAHN: He says if they're going to do it, better do it all.
SIMON: NPR's Carrie Kahn in Tel Aviv. Carrie, thanks so much for being with us.
KAHN: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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