Axios

The decades-long proxy war between Israel and Iran entered an unprecedented chapter over the weekend after Iran launched a massive drone and missile attack against Israel in retaliation for an April 1 Israeli airstrike on its embassy compound in Syria that killed a top Iranian general and others.

Why it matters: The two countries risk sparking an overt war that could devolve into a wider Middle East conflict if they cannot avoid further escalation.

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Sunday that Israel has no choice but to respond to the unprecedented missile and drone attack launched by Iran over the weekend, a U.S. official and another source briefed on the call told Axios.

Why it matters: The Biden administration and several other Western countries allied with Israel are urging Benjamin Netanyahu's government not to rush into a retaliation against Iran that could lead to a regional war.

Salman Rushdie said the U.S. faces a "bad moment" for free speech, with censorship pushes coming from the left and right of politics.

The big picture: In his first major TV interview since the stabbing onstage in New York that nearly killed him, the British-American author told CBS' "60 Minutes" in an interview airing Sunday "there seems to be a kind of growing orthodoxy, particularly amongst young people, that censorship … is a good thing."

The House on Sunday teed up more than a dozen new votes for this week on bills sanctioning Iran and its proxies in retaliation for a wide-ranging drone attack on Israel.

Why it matters: The switch-up from Republicans' plan to vote on several appliance-related "messaging" bills comes as lawmakers in both parties are pressing President Biden take a hard line against Iran.

A day after an unprecedented Iranian attack on Israel, the Biden administration continues to urge Israel in private and in public not to rush into a massive retaliation, three U.S. officials said.

Why it matters: The U.S. assessment is Iran would retaliate against any significant, overt Israeli strike on Iranian soil with a new round of missile and drone attacks, a senior U.S. official said.

President Biden told Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a call on Saturday that the U.S. won't support any Israeli counterattack against Iran, a senior White House official told Axios.

Why it matters: Biden and his senior advisers are highly concerned an Israeli response to Iran's attack on Israel would lead to a regional war with catastrophic consequences, U.S. officials said.

Iran launched attack drones and missiles against Israel on Saturday night local time in retaliation for an airstrike in Syria that killed a top Iranian general.

The big picture: It's the first attack Iran has launched from its soil against Israel. U.S. officials are concerned an Israeli retaliation against Iran will lead to another regional escalation.