Lindsey Graham anticipates Israel attack on Iran 'soon'

Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday he anticipates Israel will launch a counterattack on Iran “very” soon.

“I don’t have any direct knowledge, but I know they're serious about hitting back,” Graham (R-S.C.) said to host Kristen Welker on NBC's "Meet the Press." “I think it will be soon. I think it will be a hard hit.”

Graham added, “But again, the more you can diminish Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas, the better for the region. I think a normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, which is the key, is more possible than ever.”

Iran launched an attack on Israel earlier this month; most of their missiles were intercepted.

A counterattack would come after Israel announced it had struck an indirect blow against Iran, killing Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Iran-supported Hamas, last week in Gaza. On Friday, President Joe Biden said that this could be an opportunity to end the war, which Graham agreed with.

“There's a window here not only to end the fighting, but to replace Hamas forever. And the way you do that is you have normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel,” Graham said on Sunday. “With the death of Sinwar, the door is now open to not only find a way to get Israel to turn over Gaza and eventually Lebanon, but to have it replaced by an Arab coalition offering a better life to the Palestinians.”

He added, “I've never been more hopeful that normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel is possible. I've been working with the Biden administration for a year and a half. I think we're very close.”