Powerful explosions reported in Krayot area (near Haifa), northern Israel.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has asked China's foreign minister and other counterparts to use their influence to dissuade Iran from striking Israel, the State Department said Thursday.

Iran Foreign Minister rejects any attempts at mediation, says that countries 'should have condemned the Israeli aggression when they had the chance', and that a punishment is definitely necessary

The United States said on Thursday it had restricted its employees in Israel and their family members from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva areas amid Iran's threats to retaliate against its regional adversary"

➡️ The Iranian state news agency IRNA wrote on Wednesday that “the time is ripe to punish Israel”. It claimed a final decision on how to respond to Israel had been made, adding a failure to respond would undermine Iran’s “deterrence.”

➡️ The Tasnim news agency, which is close to the Revolutionary Guards, also wrote that Iran’s “punishment” for Israel was inevitable and would be “heavy”.

➡️ But it said how and when Iran would act was confidential and that reports suggesting that Tehran would respond over the next few days or was planning a missile and drone strike were only speculation.

➡️ Iran’s foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian held phone conversations with foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, United Arab Emirates and Qatar on Wednesday night, with the ministry saying the consequences of Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate were among the topics discussed. He also spoke to his Turkish counterpart on Thursday.

➡️ Israeli security analysts have said an Iranian attack could range from a strike via one of Iran’s proxies, such as Hizbollah, to a direct attack on Israel from Iran itself, which could risk an escalation of the regional conflict.

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