During a crucial conference call with his G7 peers on August 4th, Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke of a possible Iran-Hezbollah attack on Israel.
According to a report by Axios citing three people informed on the discussion, the strike may happen as soon as Monday.
Diplomatic Pressure and Retaliation Concerns About the Iran-Hezbollah Attack on Israel
Blinken emphasized the need for last-minute diplomatic efforts to minimize retaliation from Iran and Hezbollah. He emphasized that restricting their attacks might aid in averting a full-scale conflict.
After senior Hamas and Hezbollah figures were recently killed, Iran and Hezbollah both pledged to exact revenge on Israel.
Sources told Axios that Blinken believes retaliation from Iran and Hezbollah is likely within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Ceasefire Talks Derailed
During the call, Blinken discussed recent ceasefire negotiations. And noted that the Biden administration felt they were “close to a breakthrough” before the assassination of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week.
The G7 foreign ministers acknowledged the rising tensions in a statement, urging all parties to “refrain from perpetuating the current destructive cycle of retaliatory violence.” And to work towards de-escalation. They emphasized that “No country or nation stands to gain from further escalation in the Middle East.”
Israel’s Preparations
Israel appears to be taking precautionary measures:
- US Central Command Gen. Michael Kurilla is expected to arrive in Israel on Monday to assist the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting Sunday night with defense and intelligence leaders.
- Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with US counterpart Lloyd Austin on Sunday.
Netanyahu’s Stance
Ahead of the Sunday night meeting, Netanyahu stated, “Iran and its minions are looking to surround us in a stranglehold of terrorism. We are determined to stand against them on every front and in every arena — near and far. Whoever seeks to harm us will pay a very heavy price.”
Blinken reassured the leaders of the Group of Seven that the US was deploying more soldiers in the area for defence. Lastly, the world community is on high alert for a possible war in the upcoming days. So tensions in the Middle East continue to rise.
Image by GPA Photo Archive on Flickr