US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Cairo early Wednesday to advance ceasefire efforts in Gaza, which have been complicated by recent explosions in Lebanon. This marks Blinken’s 10th visit to the Middle East since the Gaza conflict began nearly a year ago.
During his visit, Blinken will engage in talks with Egyptian officials, including a meeting with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and a press conference with Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. However, he will not be traveling to Israel on this trip.
Read more: Blinken: Israel Agreed to Gaza Withdrawal Terms Despite Netanyahu
US officials indicate that no significant breakthroughs are anticipated from this round of discussions, but the aim is to maintain pressure for a potential agreement between Israel and Hamas. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller emphasized the focus on formulating a proposal that might secure both parties’ agreement.
Blinken’s visit follows a series of pager explosions in Lebanon, which resulted in at least nine deaths and around 2,800 injuries. The US has stated it was not involved in or aware of the incident beforehand. Meanwhile, Israel has expanded its military objectives to include actions against Hezbollah along the Lebanon border.
