Turkish, Jordanian, and Iraqi officials revealed that Iran had given them advance notice of its drone and missile attack on Israel, but U.S. officials claimed they were not informed by Tehran and that Iran's aim was to inflict significant damage.
Iran unleashed a barrage of hundreds of drones and missiles on Saturday in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria. Despite most of the drones and missiles being intercepted before reaching Israeli territory, a young girl was critically injured, raising fears of further escalation.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian stated that Iran had given neighboring countries and the U.S., Israel's ally, a 72-hour notice before launching the strikes. Turkey's Foreign Ministry confirmed they had communicated with both Washington and Tehran prior to the attack, acting as an intermediary to ensure a proportionate response.
The U.S. administration under President Joe Biden refuted Amirabdollahian's statement, asserting that while there was contact with Iran through Swiss intermediaries, no 72-hour advance notice was provided. They received a message from Iran only after the attacks began, indicating the intent was to cause significant destruction.
Iraqi, Turkish, and Jordanian officials claimed Iran had provided them with early warning of the attack, including some details. However, U.S. officials had warned of an imminent attack and urged Iran against it, with Biden bluntly stating, "Don't."
Iran reportedly used diplomatic channels to inform Baghdad about the attack at least three days in advance, allowing Iraq to close its airspace and prevent accidents. Jordan was informed by Iran through Arab envoys in Tehran about the intention to carry out an attack, though the timing was not specified.
While Biden assured Israel that the U.S. would not participate in any Israeli retaliation, Israel's response is still pending. Israeli minister Benny Gantz stated that Israel would retaliate against Iran at the right time and in the right manner to "exact the price."
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