Israel gave US last-minute warning about drone attack on Iran, Italian foreign minister says at G7

CAPRI, Italy (AP) — The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received “last minute” information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, but didn't participate in the apparent attack, officials said.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who chaired the meeting of ministers of industrialized countries, said the United States provided the information at a Friday morning session that was changed at the last minute to address the suspected attack.

Early on Friday, Iran fired air defenses from a major air base and a nuclear site near the central Iranian city of Isfahan after spotting drones. It was part of an apparent Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country last weekend.

Tajani said the U.S. informed the G7 ministers that it had been “informed at the last minute” by Israel about the drones. “But there was no sharing of the attack by the U.S. It was a mere information.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to comment on the assertion, but emphasized that the U.S. was not involved in any attack and was committed to working for a “de-escalation” in the region.

“I’m not going to speak to that except to say that the United States has not been involved in any offensive operations,” Blinken said.

Asked to describe the current U.S.-Israeli relationship, Blinken noted that Israel makes its own decisions and the United States is committed to its security.

“We are committed to helping Israel defend itself and as necessary participating in its defense, as you saw just a few days ago,” Blinken said, referring to the U.S. and allied action to help Israel repel the weekend Iranian drone and missile attack.

"Again, Israel makes its decisions, but we have a commitment to defending it," Blinken said.

Tajani said the G7 partners had all exchanged information Friday about what they knew about what had transpired in Iran. He said he shared that he had spoken on the phone with Italian embassies in Tel Aviv and Tehran and ascertained that the Italians living in Isfahan were all safe.

“There were no deaths or injuries,” Tajani said. “There is a group of Italians who live in the city where the drones arrived and they are all without problems. They say life has resumed regularly, and the Iranian airspace has reopened.”

“It seems the climate is better today than overnight,” he added.

In a communique following the three-day meeting, the ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States urged the parties “to prevent further escalation.”

The statement pledged support for Israel’s security and condemned “in the strongest terms” what the foreign ministers described as Iran’s “unprecedented attack against Israel of April 13-14, which Israel defeated with the help of its partners,” as well as the seizure of the Portuguese-flagged vessel MSC Aries in the Strait of Hormuz.

“We stand ready to adopt further sanctions or take other measures, now and in response to further destabilizing initiatives,” the document read.

The group also warned Iran against transferring ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia.

On the war in Gaza, the group called on Hamas to release hostages and reminded Israel to respect international and humanitarian law.

It added that G7 countries remained opposed to “a full scale military operation in Rafah that would have catastrophic consequences on the civilian population," and called for increasing the flow of aid into Gaza.

"The G7 worked and will work for a de-escalation,” Tajani said in a closing press conference. He said that would include a de-escalation of tensions, followed by a cease-fire, liberation of hostages and aid to the Palestinian people.

Colleen Barry in Soave, Italy contributed.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets the journalists during a press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks to reporters during the final press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets the journalists during a press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets the journalists during a press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets the journalists during a press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets the journalists during a press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, shakes hand with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Cameron as they attend an Indo-Pacific meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, Pool)

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani gestures as he speaks to reporters during the final press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

PHOENIX (AP) — Mat Ishbia knows the offseason chatter around the Phoenix Suns is it's a team with a top-heavy roster, salary cap issues and precious little room to maneuver after a disappointing season.

The second-year owner doesn't believe it.

“The narrative that the house is burning is incorrect,” Ishbia said. “The Phoenix Suns are doing great. Excellent. Not as good as we want to be. Not as good as we're going to do next year. And that's what we're going to figure out — what we've got to tweak, modify and adjust to win a championship next year.”

Ishbia and Suns general manager James Jones talked with the media on Wednesday, three days after their team was swept out of the playoffs in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was a weak performance by a franchise that had championship aspirations after assembling the All-Star trio of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.

Ishbia — who splits his time between Michigan and Arizona — is back in the desert to do exit interviews and plot out the direction of the franchise for next season.

That includes deciding whether coach Frank Vogel will return for a second season.

Ishbia said he didn't want to get into Vogel's performance because he hadn't talked with him yet, but mentioned several times he'd like to maintain continuity.

Jones supported his coach.

“I thought Frank did a great job given the circumstances,” Jones said. “We assembled a really talented team, primarily three scorers. Whenever you try to get guys to adjust and adapt their games, there's a transition time. It's sometimes a struggle, but I thought he did a great job this year.”

Vogel had a tough assignment thanks to questionable roster construction. The Suns didn’t have a true point guard — asking Booker and Beal to share that responsibility — and struggled all year with turnovers. They also had a thin bench.

Jones said the team would be open to adding more ballhandlers for next season, but it's got to be the right fit.

“Sure, that's great, but who do you want? Who is available given the way we're built?” Jones said. “Who can fit with this group? Whose game seamlessly fits with this group?”

The Suns' projected starting five for next season is under contract with Booker, Beal, Durant, center Jusuf Nurkic and guard Grayson Allen. Allen led the league in 3-point shooting percentage this season and averaged a career-high 13.8 points per game, but he suffered a sprained ankle in Game 1 against the Wolves and wasn’t able to contribute much.

The 35-year-old Durant continued to defy age with another stellar season, averaging more than 27 points per game and playing in 75 of 82 games. He’s one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, but it’s also fair to wonder how long he can play at this level.

Booker and Durant are among the 12 players who will represent the U.S. in the Paris Olympics this summer.

Booker — who Ishbia called the face of the franchise on Wednesday — averaged 27 points per game and made his fourth All-Star appearance.

“I think, over time, experience is the best teacher,” he said after Sunday's loss. “The more you can spend time and feel this hurt together, go through it together, the better off you are in the future.”

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Phoenix Suns head coach Frank Vogel applauds his players during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker walks off the court with the basketball after Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. The Timberwolves won 122-116, taking the series 4-0. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant pauses on the court during the first half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. The Timberwolves won 122-116, taking the series 4-0. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia watches players warm up prior to Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. The Timberwolves won 122-116, taking the series 4-0. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)