US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Israeli officials to avoid further escalation with Hezbollah in Lebanon amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza, according to a statement from the US State Department.
During a meeting on Thursday with Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Blinken emphasized the necessity of preventing additional tensions in Lebanon while discussions focused on the efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and ensure the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
The State Department’s statement highlighted Blinken’s call for additional steps to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza, and to plan for governance, security, and reconstruction in the post-conflict phase.
Washington continues to work towards achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of detained prisoners.
In the same meeting, Blinken reaffirmed the United States’ unwavering commitment to Israel’s security, as stated by State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
The US is pressing both Israel and Hamas to formally accept a ceasefire agreement, which is part of a three-phase proposal announced by President Joe Biden on May 31.
Blinken also stressed the importance of avoiding a new escalation in Lebanon through diplomatic solutions that would allow Israeli and Lebanese families displaced by border clashes to return home.
The meeting took place as White House National Security Council Communications Advisor John Kirby expressed disappointment over recent comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu had claimed that Washington had withheld weapons and ammunition from Israel in recent months, a statement Kirby described as “disappointing and unexpected.”
Kirby noted that the White House was unaware that Netanyahu would release a video regarding U.S. arms shipments to Israel.
