Reuters. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Tuesday (October 22) for meetings with Israeli leaders, the first stop of a wider Middle East tour to launch another push for an elusive ceasefire.
The top U.S. diplomat's latest trip - his 11th to the region since Palestinian Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, triggering the Gaza war - comes as the Israeli military has intensified its campaign in the Palestinian enclave as well as in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for a meeting at his Jerusalem office on Tuesday, October 22.
Blinken landed in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, marking his 11th trip to the country since the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023 and his first visit since Israel killed Hamas military leader Yahya Sinwar last week.
Blinken will meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog other cabinet members as Israel steps up his attacks in Lebanon. The US top diplomat also plans to visit Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
