Iran has issued a notice to pilots and airlines to avoid its airspace following ongoing threats from Iranian officials to attack Israel, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The notice from Iran came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed G7 Foreign Ministers in a call yesterday that Tehran might attack Israel within 24 to 48 hours, according to two diplomats familiar with the conversation. Blinken did not specify the form the attack might take.
Israel has stated that it is ready to defend itself and respond to any retaliatory attack. Washington has declared that it will assist in defending Israel.
American officials are working with their international partners in an effort to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East following warnings from Iran and pro-Iranian militias that they would attack Israel after the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week.
Iran’s airspace notice translates into a stance on commercial and civil aviation, without detailing what might follow.
Israel has put its military on high alert while American officials are preparing military resources and regional partners to prevent an attack that some fear could be broader and more complex than Iran’s April assault.
In April, Iran fired more than 300 drones and missiles toward Israel. Most of the missiles were intercepted before reaching Israel. However, this time Iran has refused to provide detailed warnings that would help mitigate the impact of any attack.
According to one of the diplomats familiar with Sunday’s G7 call, Blinken told his colleagues that if an Iranian attack on Israel were of a similar scale to the April assault, it could shut down any future cooperation between Iran and the US.
