U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken continued his intensive Middle East tour in Jordan on Sunday, calling for measures to prevent the expansion of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
Blinken arrived in Amman last night, following stops in Turkey and Greece. He is scheduled on Sunday to have talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, and to visit a World Food Programme center in the capital, as confirmed by an official from his accompanying delegation.
Speaking on Saturday evening at Chania airport on the Greek island of Crete, Blinken said, "We must ensure that the conflict does not expand" from the Gaza Strip, where the war has entered its fourth month.
He added, "One of the real concerns is the border between Israel and Lebanon, and we want to do everything possible to make sure that the situation does not escalate."
Since the Israeli aggression on Gaza, Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire daily across the border. Concerns about an escalation on this front increased after the martyrdom of Saleh Arouri, Deputy Head of the Political Bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), in an airstrike attributed to Israel in the southern suburbs of Beirut last Tuesday.
On Saturday, Hezbollah announced the launch of over 60 rockets towards an "aerial surveillance base" in northern Israel, framing it as an "initial response" to the assassination of Arouri. Israel, in turn, conducted a series of airstrikes on southern Lebanon.
Ensuring the Conflict Does Not Expand
Blinken pointed out that "many of the conversations we will have over the coming days with all our allies and partners will revolve around the actions they can take using their influence and relationships to ensure that this conflict does not broaden."
The Israeli aggression on Gaza, which enters its fourth month today, Sunday, raises concerns about its escalation with the increase in violence not only on the Israeli-Lebanese borders but also in Iraq, Syria, and the Red Sea.
The Israeli bombardment of the sector, coupled with a ground attack that began on October 27th, has resulted in the martyrdom of more than 22,700 people, most of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Blinken emphasized "the necessity to stop the expansion of the conflict, increase humanitarian aid, reduce civilian casualties, work towards sustained regional peace, and progress towards the establishment of a Palestinian state."
Blinken had arrived in Istanbul on Friday evening as part of a regional tour to discuss ways to prevent the expansion of the conflict in the region, three months after the Israeli aggression on Gaza, and to push for the introduction of additional assistance to the Gaza Strip.
A senior American official accompanying Blinken on his trip told Bloomberg News that Washington is seeking to rally Ankara's support for post-war governance plans for the Gaza Strip.
The Day After
The same source added that Blinken will convey a message to the region that Washington will respond to attacks targeting its interests, expecting Arab partners to deliver the message that Blinken carries to Iran.
Blinken's talks with the Arab leaders, who emphasize that the priority is a permanent ceasefire, are expected to focus on the "day after" plans for the end of the war in the Gaza Strip, including the sector's reconstruction and administration.
After Jordan, Blinken heads to Qatar, which played the role of mediator in truces between Israel and Hamas movement at the end of November, which allowed for the release of hostages from Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Blinken will end his day in Abu Dhabi before heading to Saudi Arabia on Monday, and then to Israel where he anticipates conversations that "will not be easy."
