Secretary of State Antony Blinken drew a false equivalence in remarks that he made on Monday between Iranian-backed terrorism and Israel engaging in self-defense.
Blinken’s remarks come as intelligence officials believe that an attack on Israel from Iran and its terrorist proxy groups in the region is imminent after Israel killed two top terrorists last week who were responsible for carrying out attacks against Israel.
“We are engaged in intense diplomacy, pretty much round the clock, with a very simple message, all parties must refrain from escalation,” Blinken said. “All parties must take steps to ease tensions. Escalation is not in anyone’s interest. It will only lead to more conflict, more violence, more insecurity.”
Blinken said that it was “critical that we break this cycle by reaching a ceasefire in Gaza,” which is a demand that Israel cease military operations against Hamas — an Iranian-backed Islamic terrorist group that killed 1,200 people during the October 7 attack on Israel.
“That in turn will unlock possibilities for more enduring calm, not only in Gaza itself, but in other areas where the conflict could spread,” he claimed. “So for the United States, for many other countries, both in the region and beyond, this is our focus, and what it comes down to, really, is all parties finding ways to come to an agreement, not look for reasons to delay or to say no. It is urgent that all parties make the right choices in the hours and days ahead.”
Blinken made the remarks after Iranian-backed terrorists attacked U.S. forces at Al-Asad airbase in Iraq on Monday, injuring at least five U.S. personnel who were stationed there.
Blinken told his counterparts from G7 countries that Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed terrorist group in Lebanon, could launch an attack against Israel at any time.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has deployed reinforcements to central towns in Israel in recent days adjacent to Judea and Samaria after receiving intelligence that Iran may direct Hamas terrorist attacks from Judea and Samaria against civilian communities.
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