Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in what he called a “critical moment,” called on parties in the Middle East to work to ease tensions as fears of a broader regional war grow following the killings last week of a top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and the top political leader of Hamas in Iran.
“We are conducting intense diplomacy, almost around the clock, with a very simple message: all parties must refrain from escalation. All parties must take steps to de-escalate tensions. Escalation is in no one’s interest,” he said at a signing ceremony with his Australian counterpart. “It will only lead to more conflict, more violence and more insecurity.”
“It is also critical that we break this cycle by reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, which will pave the way for a more sustainable calm, not just in Gaza itself, but in other areas where conflict could spill over,” Blinken added. He called on all parties to find “ways to reach agreement, not to look for reasons to delay or say ‘no,’” and added: “It is urgent that all parties make the right choices in the hours and days ahead.”
His comments come after President Biden gathered the national security team in the Situation Room to discuss developments in the Middle East earlier in the afternoon. Biden also spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan on Monday, and the two leaders discussed efforts to ease regional tensions, including an immediate cease-fire and a deal to release the hostages, according to a White House readout. Over the weekend, Jordan’s foreign minister made a rare visit to Iran.
The top military leaders of the United States and Israel met in Tel Aviv on Monday. fears of wider regional war Tensions are rising following the assassinations last week of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and the top political leader of Hamas in Iran.
US CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla met with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi to discuss “coordination of defense cooperation between the respective establishments and militaries,” according to an Israeli account of the meeting.
Ariel Hermoni/Israeli document
They also discussed “ways to expand the international coalition in the face of the aggressive activities of Iran and its proxies against Israel, and to destabilize the Middle East region.”
The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said it launched a drone strike early Monday on northern Israel, injuring two Israeli soldiers and starting a fire, according to the Israeli military. Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged near-daily strikes over the past decade amid the ongoing Gaza war, but have so far kept the conflict at a low level that has not escalated into open warfare.
Iran-backed Hezbollah said in a statement that it had targeted a military base in northern Israel in response to “attacks and assassinations” carried out by Israel in several villages in southern Lebanon.
The attack does not appear to be part of a series of more intense reprisals expected in response to the assassination of Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in Beirut last week.
Hamas political leader assassinated last week Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital, Tehran, and Hezbollah commander Shukur in Beirut, have increased tensions in the region, and Israel is preparing for a Iran’s retaliation and its allied militias.
General Hossein Salami, head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, threatened Israel on Monday over Haniyeh’s assassination, warning that Israel was “digging its own grave” with its actions in its war against Hamas.
“They will see the result of their mistake. They will see when, how and where they will receive their answer,” Salami said in a speech.
The event follows a weekend of outreach by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other members of the Biden administration to Western and Middle Eastern allies and partners.
Blinken told foreign members of the Group of Seven economic powers on Sunday that Iran’s response could come within 24 to 48 hours.
