CIA asks Turkiye to mediate way out of ‘catastrophic’ Iran–Israel blowup

News Desk - The Cradle

Washington has asked Tel Aviv to restrain itself after Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at sensitive Israeli targets

CIA chief William Burns has asked the head of Turkiye’s intelligence to mediate between Iran and Israel after Tehran’s retaliatory drone and missile strikes, Turkish media reported on 14 April. 

TRT, citing security sources, reported that Burns and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin held a phone call on the matter. 

The two also “discussed ways to negotiate a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,” the sources said. 

The outlet added that Kalin met with representatives of the Hamas movement following the call with Burns. Prior to the Iranian strike, ceasefire talks had been at a stalemate over Israel’s refusal to accept Hamas’ terms, which the resistance movement has continued to uphold. 

Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at sensitive targets within Israel late on 13 April, in an hours-long attack that extended into the following morning and as a response to the destruction of the Iranian consulate in Damascus early this month. 

The main targets were two bases directly linked to the consulate attack, one of which was the site from which Israeli jets took off to carry out the strike in the Syrian capital. 

Iran has vowed to use “ten times” the force in the event of an Israeli escalation. 

The Turkish report came as Washington had warned Tel Aviv that it would not back or participate in an Israeli response to the Iranian operation, which was dubbed True Promise. US President Joe Biden relayed this to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call after the Iranian attack, according to Axios. 

The White House is concerned an Israeli response to Iran's attack on Israel would lead to a regional war with catastrophic consequences, US officials told the media outlet. Bloomberg also reported that the US and EU are urging Israel to show restraint. 

The Islamic Republic warned on 14 April that US bases would be targeted if the US chooses to take part in an Israeli escalation against Iran. 

According to Hebrew media, Israel’s war cabinet is in favor of carrying out a response, but officials are divided on when and how it should be done.