Italian diplomat says Israel warned US about drone attack on Iran

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that Israel warned the U.S. about a drone attack on Iran Friday morning apparently targeting an air base and a nuclear site in central Iran. 

Iranian air defense batteries were active after explosions were heard near the air base near the central city of Isfahan, the Associated Press reported (AP). 

Tajani said the U.S. told the Group of Seven foreign ministers it was informed “at the last minute” by Israel in advance of the drone attack. 

“But there was no sharing of the attack by the U.S. It was … mere information,” the foreign minister said. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the suspected Israeli strikes “reported events” during a press conference in Italy on Friday, but stressed the U.S. was not “involved in any offensive operations.” 

Both countries’ officials and television networks minimized the strikes, The New York Times reported. Israel said the response was limited to prevent escalating the situation. A newsreader on Iranian state TV said the attack was “not a big deal.”

The apparent Israeli strike were in response to Iran’s missiles-and-drone attack over the weekend. Iran’s attack was largely neutralized with Israel’s and allied defense system which shot down incoming missiles.

Iran’s attack on Israel came as a retaliatory assault to Israel’s early April strike on an Iranian consulate in Syria, which killed multiple high-ranking commanders.