U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that “now is the time” to end the conflict in Gaza, urging Israel to refrain from escalating tensions with Iran. Israel is currently engaged in battles against Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and it has vowed to retaliate against Iran’s missile strike on October 1.
Blinken’s visit marks his 11th trip to the region since the onset of the Gaza war and his first since the Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalated into full-scale war late last month.
In Lebanon, state media reported an Israeli drone strike in Tyre after the military advised residents in parts of the coastal city to evacuate ahead of operations targeting Hezbollah.
This warning triggered a new wave of departures from the city, with footage showing thick black smoke rising from the strike site.
