U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged a cessation of hostilities between Israel and the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah, but Israeli airstrikes on the historic Lebanese port city of Tyre indicated no sign of slowing.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Tuesday, marking the first significant U.S. diplomatic effort aimed at securing a ceasefire in the Middle East since Israel killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar last week.
This meeting comes as Israel intensifies its military campaign, expanding airstrikes on Hezbollah assets overnight. Hochstein is expected to advocate for calm after more than a year of conflict, during which Israel has targeted leaders of both Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.
Large protests broke out across several Israeli cities, with demonstrators urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prioritize the safe return of hostages.
“Ending this conflict is still going to be difficult,” Biden stated, noting that although Sinwar’s death was a major blow to Hamas, the broader conflict between Israel, Hamas, and other regional players would continue to present significant challenges.
Yahya Sinwar, a senior Hamas leader and architect of the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, was tracked and killed by Israeli troops after a year-long manhunt, according to a statement from Israeli authorities on Thursday.
Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group declared on Friday that it is entering a new and more aggressive phase in its conflict with Israel, following the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Reports have surfaced that Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and the mastermind behind the deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, may have been killed, according to Israeli officials and media.
As fears of a broader Middle East conflict rise, Iran's Revolutionary Guards commander, Hossein Salami, warned Israel on Thursday against any retaliation following Iran’s October 1 missile barrage.
As President Joe Biden nears the end of his term, his administration is adopting a new approach toward U.S. military aid to Israel, aiming to influence its ongoing confrontation with Iran and Iran-backed militant groups.
