Baku. Azerbaijan. August 5. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed G7 foreign ministers that Iran and Hezbollah might attack Israel within the next 24 hours, according to TurkicWorld, citing RBC.
Blinken held a phone call with G7 colleagues to apply diplomatic pressure on Iran and Hezbollah and to minimize the potential impact of a retaliatory strike following the killing of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
During the talks, Blinken emphasized that mitigating the consequences of a potential attack is the best way to prevent a large-scale war in the region.
Sources reported that Blinken is confident that Iran and Hezbollah will strike the Jewish state, though specific actions are not yet clear. He noted that the U.S. is trying to limit the strike and then ease any potential Israeli response.
The American diplomat expressed frustration that the escalation of the Middle East conflict is affecting ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip.
Blinken stated that before Haniyeh’s killing, the U.S. administration felt that the parties were closer to reaching an agreement than ever before.
Earlier, the State Department reported that Blinken discussed urgent measures with G7 foreign ministers to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.
