A post circulating on X claims U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the efforts to persuade Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were unsuccessful, allegedly stating that the Middle East could soon experience events that haven’t occurred in the past hundred years.

Blinken: We failed to convince Netanyahu. At any moment, events could happen in the Middle East that have not happened in the last hundred years. pic.twitter.com/VzstWfXPhk

— S p r i n t e r (@SprinterFamily) October 24, 2024

Verdict: False

There is no evidence that Blinken made this specific statement. The claim appears to be a distortion of recent diplomatic discussions regarding the Middle East, particularly amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

Fact Check:

Iranian officials have stated that the country will use “all available tools” to respond to a recent strike by Israel, according to Reuters. The statement comes following a missile strike on Iran that damaged at least two military bases, The Associated Press reported.

The statement attributed to Blinken suggests that he admitted to failing to convince Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and issued a dramatic warning about unprecedented events in the region. “We failed to convince Netanyahu. At any moment, events could happen in the Middle East that have not happened in the last hundred years,” Blinken is quoted as saying, according to the post. (RELATED: Did Yemen Offer to Send 400,000 Troops to Eliminate Israel on Behalf of Iran?)

However, a review of public remarks, press conferences, and credible news reports reveals no such quote. Blinken has indeed discussed the volatility of the Middle East situation, particularly following an Israeli airstrike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Blinken’s actual remarks have focused on the “precarious moment” the region faces, emphasizing the crucial nature of decisions made by all parties involved. He has warned of the potential long-term consequences but has not claimed that events of an extraordinary, century-spanning nature are imminent.

Additionally, while Blinken has held extensive discussions with Netanyahu, especially in light of the escalating Israel-Hezbollah conflict, there is no confirmed instance of him publicly stating that the U.S. “failed to convince” the Israeli leader. The viral claim seems to exaggerate the complexities of U.S.-Israeli diplomatic exchanges during this tense period.

This is not the first time Check Your Fact has debunked misinformation about the situation in the Middle East.