Amid the ongoing military operations in Gaza, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said the best way for Israel to normalise regional ties and isolate Iran is to agree on a Palestinian state for the resolution of the conflict, The Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held discussions with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday on several issues, including maritime security challenges, especially the Red Sea region and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
On Tuesday, Israel's Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant met with visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tel Aviv.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday held a private meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, The Times of Israel reported.
As the Israel-Hamas war entered day 92, the US Secretary of State also began his latest trip to the Middle East and Europe, to amp up the diplomatic efforts, preventing an expansion of the conflict, Voice of America reported.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will begin his visit to the Middle Eastern countries from January 4 till January 11, to address ongoing concerns, including the release of remaining hostages and delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance to Gazan civilians.
Some of the issues that have contributed to the tensions include the visit of former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan last year and labour practices in Xinjiang.
Urging Congress to release more funds for providing military aid to Ukraine, the US State Secretary also said that "Congress needs to act in the new year".
"I am announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative under the umbrella of the Combined Maritime Forces and the leadership of its Task Force 153, which focuses on security in the Red Sea," Austin said in a statement.
US Secretary of Defence, during his visit to Israel, weighed in for a transition into more "targeted" and "surgical" operations in Gaza, however, also clarifying that the US won't be "dictating" any timelines or terms, Times of Israel reported.
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken on Sunday warned Israel that more needs to be done to protect civilians and provide humanitarian aid to people in the region, CNN reported.