Report: US warned Iran it will suffer devastating blow if it launches major attack on Israel

The US has warned Iran that it could suffer a devastating blow if it launches a major attack on Israel, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing an unnamed US official.

The warning has been conveyed to Tehran both directly and through intermediaries, the US official says without elaborating.

“The United States has sent clear messaging to Iran that the risk of a major escalation if they do a significant retaliatory attack against Israel is extremely high,” says the official to the WSJ.

“There is a serious risk of consequences for Iran’s economy and the stability of its newly elected government if it goes down that path,” the US official adds.

The message isn’t intended to be a threat, rather a warning regarding how Israel might respond, a US official tells the Journal.

Washington doesn’t have a clear understanding of the scope and timing of the Iranian response to Israel, though the latest intelligence suggests that it may occur over the weekend, if it happens, officials tell the WSJ.

The officials are also unsure whether Hezbollah will strike separately or at the same time as Iran.

“Last time we got more of a heads up, and this time people are making their best guesses,” says a third US official.