(August 5, 2024 / JNS) Iran and its Lebanese terror proxy Hezbollah could attack Israel as early as Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his counterparts from the G7 countries on Sunday.
Three sources briefed on the conference call confirmed the top American diplomat’s remarks to Axios reporter Barak Ravid.
Blinken convened the meeting with the G7 allies—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom—to coordinate ahead of the expected offensive by Iran and its terror proxies against the Jewish state.
While Washington believes Iran and Hezbollah will retaliate against Israel for the targeted killings last week of senior Hezbollah member Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, it is unclear regarding what form that retaliation will take, said Blinken.
Nor, he added, does Washington know the exact timing of the expected attack. However, he emphasized that it could start as soon as the next 24 to 48 hours, meaning as soon as Monday.
“Blinken asked the other foreign ministers to apply diplomatic pressure on Iran, Hezbollah and Israel to maintain maximum restraint,” the report continued.
He also stressed to the G7 allies that the bolstering of U.S. forces in the Middle East region was for defensive purposes only.
“We express our deep concern over the heightened level of tension in the Middle East which threatens to ignite a broader conflict in the region,” the G7 ministers said in a statement.
“We urge all involved parties to refrain from perpetuating the current destructive cycle of retaliatory violence, to lower tensions and engage constructively towards de-escalation. No country or nation stands to gain from further escalation in the Middle East,” it continues.
Gen. Erik Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), arrived in the Middle East on Saturday for a previously planned trip the focus of which has now shifted to mobilizing a multilateral defensive force to shield Israel.
Kurilla was expected in Israel on Monday. Israeli officials told Axios that Kurilla will meet with the Israel Defense Forces to finalize preparations ahead of the possible Iranian and Hezbollah attacks. He was also scheduled to visit the Gulf states and Jordan.
Photo: Reuters