April 17, 2024 (EIRNS)—U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken met with American Jewish leaders on April 16, Axios reported, and told them neither the interests of the United States nor those of Israel would be served by a massive Israeli retaliation against Iran. He provided a bromide for the occasion: “Strength and wisdom are two sides of the same coin.”
Blinken also told the group, according to Axios, that “the fact that Jordan and Saudi Arabia were part of the defensive effort to repel Iran’s attack was very important and opens opportunities for the future, according to one attendee.” Those countries were not directly involved, however, except to the degree that U.S. air bases in their countries were used for American planes to help intercept the drones that Iran launched against Israel. Axios further reported that an unnamed U.S. official admitted: “We think it will be very hard to replicate the huge success we had on Saturday with defeating the attack if Iran launches hundreds of missiles and drones again—and the Israelis know it.”
