WASHINGTON, Aug 5 (MENA) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his counterparts from the G7 countries that an attack by Iran and Hezbollah against Israel could start as early as Monday, Axios reported quoting well-informed sources.
Blinken convened a conference call to coordinate with close US allies and try to generate last-minute diplomatic pressure on Iran and Hezbollah to minimize their retaliation as much as possible. He stressed that limiting the impact of their strikes is the best chance to prevent all-out war.
The sources said Blinken stressed that the US believes Iran and Hezbollah will both retaliate.
But unlike the Iranian attack against Israel on April 13 — in which Iran launched nearly 350 attack drones and missiles toward Israel, and Israel, the US and their allies worked together to intercept most of them — Blinken said it’s unclear what form the retaliation will take.
Blinken said the US doesn’t know the exact timing of the attacks but stressed it could start as early as the next 24-48 hours — meaning as early as Monday, the sources said.
Blinken asked the other foreign ministers to apply diplomatic pressure on Iran, Hezbollah and Israel to maintain maximum restraint.
