WATCH: Cardinal Dolan Describes Taking Shelter From Iranian Missiles in Bethlehem
‘CALM AND BRIGHT’
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, in the middle of a weeklong trip across Israel and Palestine, described how he had to scramble for cover as Iran fired more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel in an immense overnight attack. In a morning video update, the archbishop of New York said, “This Sunday in Bethlehem all does seem calm and bright. And it is for us. We feel safe and secure. That wasn’t true in the middle of last night when the air raid sirens went off, and we had to go down and seek security at Notre Dame Center. But right now things look good, and we’re grateful for that.” The Iranian aerial attack, a retaliatory strike against a deadly Israeli action in Syria two weeks ago, was 99 percent intercepted, a military spokesperson previously said, causing only minor damage to one air base. Dolan is in the Middle East until Thursday on a pastoral visit that will see him meet with various religious and political leaders of both sides of the Israel-Hamas war, now in its seventh month. His itinerary does not include travel to Gaza.