Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Sunday that Israel has no choice but to respond to the unprecedented missile and drone attack launched by Iran over the weekend, a U.S. official and another source briefed on the call told Axios.
Why it matters: The Biden administration and several other Western countries allied with Israel are urging Benjamin Netanyahu’s government not to rush into a retaliation against Iran that could lead to a regional war.
The latest: Ahead of a meeting Monday with Iraq’s deputy prime minister, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. is coordinating a diplomatic response to the Iranian attack intended to prevent further escalation.
- “Strength and wisdom must be the two sides of the same coin,” Blinken said in what appeared to be a message for Israel.
- Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron in a phone call Monday that Iran does not want escalation — but that if Israel “seeks adventure, our next response will be immediate, stronger and more extensive,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
- The Israeli war cabinet convened on Monday to discuss its potential response.
