Antony Blinken Embarks on Mission to End Gaza War as Israeli Strikes Hit Beirut

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has headed to the Middle East to advocate for a ceasefire amid ongoing military escalations by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon. His visit aims to reignite negotiations to end the Gaza war and address the spillover of the conflict into Lebanon.

This marks Blinken’s 11th trip to the region since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the current conflict. The situation has further escalated with Israel’s intensified strikes targeting Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both backed by Iran.

On Monday, Israel launched several strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, including one near Rafik Hariri University Hospital, resulting in the death of four people, including a child, and injuries to 24 others. Israeli authorities said the strikes targeted Hezbollah assets near the hospital, denying that the facility itself was hit. They accused Hezbollah of embedding its operations within civilian areas.

Israel’s recent military actions have focused on assassinating leaders of both Hezbollah and Hamas. The killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar last week was a major victory for Israel, but officials insist that the campaign will continue until the militant group no longer poses a security threat.

Iran and its allies have expressed that Sinwar's death will only strengthen their resolve.

During Blinken's trip, discussions with leaders in Israel and neighboring Arab states will center on ending the conflict in Gaza, developing a post-war plan for the region, and finding a diplomatic solution to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, according to the U.S. State Department.

Meanwhile, U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein met with Lebanese officials in Beirut to discuss ceasefire conditions. Hochstein emphasized that more needed to be done beyond U.N. resolution 1701, which has not been fully implemented by either Hezbollah or Israel since it was established to end the 2006 conflict.

The Israeli military also targeted the Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association, a financial institution that the U.S. claims is used by Hezbollah to manage its finances. Al-Sahel Hospital in Beirut’s southern suburbs was evacuated amid Israeli claims that a Hezbollah bunker was located beneath it. Hospital officials have denied these claims.

In Syria, two people were killed in a missile attack on a car, which Syrian authorities attributed to Israel. The Israeli military claimed responsibility for the strike, saying it targeted Hezbollah’s financial head.

Lebanon's health ministry reports that since the conflict began, the death toll has risen to 2,483, with over 11,600 injured. In northern Israel and the Golan Heights, 59 people have died as a result of cross-border fire from Hezbollah. Israel’s ongoing campaign in Lebanon has displaced over 1.2 million people, with the goal of pushing Hezbollah out of the border regions.

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