The United States is expected to engage in a new diplomatic push to calm tensions in the Middle East. The region is facing high tensions after a suspected Israeli strike on a Hamas leader in Lebanon, bombings in Iran and no end in sight to Israel’s war on Gaza. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to engage in some shuttle diplomacy while on a tour of several countries. He has a visit to Israel planned for next week.
Special envoy Amos Hochstein is expected to lay the groundwork for Blinken’s visit to Israel. This trip is Blinken’s fourth since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October. In recent days, Israel has increased its attacks on Gaza and is suspected of killing a top Hamas official in Beirut on Tuesday. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis rebels have disrupted global commerce by targeting vessels linked to Israel in support of Hamas. The US has issued what appears to be a final warning to the Houthis. The US is hoping that, through diplomacy, some calm can be restored to the region.
Read More: US to send top diplomats to Middle East as regional tensions spread
