Washington, 5 August 2024 (TDI): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned that Iran and Hezbollah may attack Israel within the next 24 to 48 hours.
The unconfirmed report about Blinken’s warning was being circulated in the US media, as fears grew of a regional war in the Middle East. Iran and Hezbollah have vowed to retaliate for the assassinations of the top leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah last week.
Blinken told G7 counterparts in a conference call that Iran and Hezbollah could launch an attack against Israel. US believed Iran and Hezbollah will both retaliate.
Washington does not know the exact timing of the attacks or what form they would take, he added.
He said that the US hopes to halt the escalation by persuading Iran and Hezbollah to limit their strikes and restrain any Israeli response. He urged the other foreign ministers to join that push by applying diplomatic pressure on the trio.
The G7, which also includes Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Japan and the United Kingdom, issued a statement on Monday expressing concerns over the heightened level of tension in the region, and called for restraint on all sides, emphasizing that no country or nation stands to gain from a further escalation.
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Immediately following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on July 31, the US sent additional military troops to the Middle East in anticipation of retaliatory attacks. Washington insists that the deployment is “defensive”.
US Central Command chief, General Michael Kurilla, is reportedly set to land in Israel on Monday to “finalise preparations” with the Israeli forces “ahead of the possible attack”.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant issued a warning, stating If they dare to attack Israel, they will pay a heavy price.
The nearly 10-month-old war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel has led to regular low-level hostilities between Israel and Iran and Hezbollah.
