US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has alerted G7 counterparts that Iran, in coordination with Hezbollah, could launch an attack on Israel as soon as Monday, according to Axios. The escalating situation has led Israel to consider a preemptive strike against Iran to thwart any potential assault on its territory. Reports from Israel’s leading daily, Times of Israel, reveal that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a high-level meeting with top officials, including Mossad Chief David Barnea, Shin Bet Head Ronen Bar, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, to discuss possible preemptive measures.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group supported by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has been identified as Iran’s primary proxy in the region. The group has historically received substantial funding and military support from Tehran and has been involved in frequent confrontations with Israeli forces. Tensions have surged following Israel’s recent assassination of Hezbollah’s senior military commander, Fuad Shukr, in a strike on a densely populated area in Beirut, which also resulted in civilian casualties.
Adding to the complexity, Iran’s alleged involvement in the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran has further strained relations. Although Israeli authorities have not confirmed their role in this event, the accusation has intensified regional tensions.
The ongoing conflict, which has seen frequent cross-border skirmishes, risks escalating into a full-scale war reminiscent of the 2006 conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. This earlier conflict resulted in significant damage, including the bombing of Lebanon’s only passenger airport in Beirut by Israeli forces.
In light of the heightened risk, various embassies, including India’s, have advised their citizens to leave Lebanon as commercial flights remain operational. Hezbollah has continued to engage in near-daily exchanges of fire with Israeli forces, targeting military positions in response to the ongoing war in Gaza initiated by Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7.
In response to the volatile situation, Antony Blinken has organized a conference call with G7 foreign ministers to discuss diplomatic strategies aimed at de-escalating the conflict and preventing further violence.
