Blinken Advises Israel to Avoid Impulsive Retaliation

Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed American Jewish leaders on Tuesday and stressed that further escalation with Iran would not be beneficial for the U.S. or Israel, as reported by Axios here.

During the meeting, attended by three people, the Biden administration and Western allies urged Israel to avoid hastily retaliating against Iran, which could potentially lead to a larger regional conflict.

“We think it will be very difficult to achieve the same success we had on Saturday in countering the attack if Iran launches hundreds of missiles and drones again — and the Israelis are aware of this,” stated a U.S. official to Axios.

Last Saturday, Iran carried out drone attacks in response to the killing of Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a prominent Iranian Quds Force general, and five other IRGC officials on April 1. This marked Iran’s first direct attack on Israel without using proxies.

Despite achieving a 99% success rate in intercepting Iranian drones and missiles in coordination with the U.S. and regional partners, Blinken emphasized that the decision to retaliate rests with Israel, advising them to be strategic and limited in their response.

While the U.S. is advocating for restraint, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant informed U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that an Israeli response is inevitable. Gallant stated that not responding to a large-scale attack would give Iran the impression that it can target Israel whenever it chooses.

Blinken also highlighted the importance of allies like Jordan and Saudi Arabia in the defensive effort against Iran, stressing the significance of the alliance for future opportunities, according to an attendee.

“Strength and wisdom go hand in hand,” Blinken reportedly told the audience.

In a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi assured that Iran does not seek further escalation and warned of more severe repercussions against actions that threaten Iran’s interests, as reported by IRNA.