Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter{beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story  Israel, US fend off massive Iranian attackIran fired more than 180 missiles at Israel in retaliation for Israeli attacks that killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in July and Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week.© GettyWhite House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Tuesday that the attack "appears to have been defeated and ineffective."  "We do not know of any deaths in Israel," he said. "We do not know of any damage to aircraft or strategic military assets in Israel."  Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a briefing after the attack that Israel "was able to intercept the majority of the incoming missiles and that there was minimal damage on the ground." Ryder added that two U.S. Navy destroyers helped shoot down the missiles, and fired around a dozen interceptors. The attack marked a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran, Ryder and Sullivan said.Tehran previously attacked Israel in April in an attack defeated by the U.S. and Israel, along with allied forces in the region.  Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said there were a "small number" of hits in central and southern Israel, but the "majority of the incoming missiles were intercepted."  "Iran's attack is a severe and dangerous escalation. There will be consequences," he said in a video address. "We will respond wherever, whenever, and however we choose."  Vice President Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, told reporters "I condemn this attack unequivocally.""I'm clear eyed. Iran is a destabilizing, dangerous force in the Middle East, and today's attack on Israel only further demonstrates that fact," she said.  The Iranian attack comes after Israel began limited ground operations in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, which has been severely degraded by Israeli attacks in the past two months, including a strike last week that killed Nasrallah.  Israel has fought Hezbollah for nearly a year after the militant group began firing over the border following the Oct. 7 attacks by Iranian-backed militant group Hamas, which sparked war in the Gaza Strip.  While the war in Gaza is still raging, Hamas's presence has been reduced over the past year, freeing up resources for Israel to move north and try to push Hezbollah back from the border to return the some 60,000 residents displaced by the fighting there.  The U.S. has pushed for a diplomatic agreement to resolve the Lebanon crisis, but Ryder indicated the Pentagon supported limited Israeli border attacks, saying the U.S. "fully understands" the need to protect civilians, though Washington is asking questions about the operation.  Before the Tuesday attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday appealed directly to Iranians, saying in a video message he supported efforts for regime change in Iran. After the attack, Netanyahu said at a Security Cabinet meeting that Israel "has the momentum and the axis of evil is in retreat," referring to Iran. "This evening, " he said, "Iran made a big mistake – and it will pay for it."  Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Brad Dress — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.  Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.   Essential Reads  How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future:  GOP leaders press Biden administration to get tougher on Iran after missile attackRepublican leaders on Capitol Hill are calling on President Biden to get tougher on Iran in the wake of Tuesday’s missile attack on Israel, urging the administration to adopt a series of specific measures designed to cripple the military powers of Tehran and its proxies.  In a series of speeches, statements and social media posts, the top Republicans in both chambers pressed the president to adopt a combination of new …  Full Story  Trump warns of ‘global catastrophe’ following Iranian missile attack on Israel Former President Trump on Tuesday bashed President Biden and Vice President Harris in the wake of an Iranian missile attack on Israel, arguing if Harris is elected in November, it would lead to mass chaos on the world stage.  Full Story   How does Israel’s Iron Dome work?Iran launched missiles toward Israel Tuesday, just days after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in a strike on Lebanon. The Iranian blitz comes after a nearly yearlong cross-border conflict between Hezbollah, a star proxy group for Tehran, and Israeli forces. The fight, tied to the ongoing war in Gaza, has severely crippled the Lebanese militant group after Israel eliminated most of its command structure in the past …  Full Story  Russian fighter jet flies within feet of US F-16 near AlaskaThe U.S. military is slamming Russia for an “unsafe” encounter in the skies off the coast of Alaska after footage released Monday shows a Kremlin fighter jet cutting off an Air Force F-16. The incident, which took place Sept. 23, involved a Russian Su-35 fighter flying in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in international airspace, where the F-16 was sent to intercept it. The F-16, which was assigned to North …  Full Story   On Our Radar  Upcoming things we're watching on our beat:  President Biden will visit North Carolina on Wednesday as hundreds of federal emergency workers and National Guard troops deploy to assist with hurricane relief efforts. Vice presidential nominees, Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz, will face off in a debate Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET in New York. The Pentagon announced a new initiative called Replicator 2 to focus on countering drones, a follow-up to an effort of the same name that aims to field thousands of autonomous weapon systems. Former Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte took over the western security alliance NATO as secretary general on Tuesday.Mexico's president Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in Tuesday as the country's first female president.   In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Martin Sheen sounds the alarm on voter suppression from ‘MAGA vigilantes’ He’s been a vocal Vice President Harris supporter and is hitting the campaign trail to back several Democratic Senate bids, but Martin Sheen says he can’t think of “anything more important to do in relation to this year’s election” than sound the alarm on voter suppression from “MAGA vigilantes.” Full Story   On Tap Tomorrow  Events in and around the defense world:  Brookings Institution will unpack the global security challenges for the U.S. in a 1 p.m. online event. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace chats with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell for a 11:15 a.m. online event. The Middle East Institute will discuss the Biden administration's Middle East strategy for a 1:15 p.m. in-person event. The Atlantic Council talks on energy, defense and national security for a summit that begins at 9 a.m. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy holds an 11:30 a.m. online event to discuss U.S. policy in the Middle East.  What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets: South Korea unveils its most powerful missile, which could reach North Korea’s underground bunkers (The Associated Press) US officials quietly backed Israel’s military push against Hezbollah (Politico)  Trending Today  Two key stories on The Hill right now: What it’s like in Asheville after Helene SOUTH OF ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Buzzing chainsaws and growling generators have replaced the everyday suburban sounds of lawnmowers and birds in my neighborhood … Read more New book details how Austin, Texas, lost its ‘magic’ — and the larger threat its trajectory may represent  Austin’s “magic” has slipped away thanks to poorly planned development run amok, a new book argues. In “Lost in Austin,” out … Read more  Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: The Corporate Transparency Act protects American national security{section_3.content[2].title   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Close Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Defense and National Security newsletter Subscribe