US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reiterated that the United States believes diplomacy is the best path forward as Israel continues to bombard Lebanon, pushing the region into a worsening crisis.
Speaking to reporters in New York on Friday afternoon, the top US diplomat said the Middle East and the world faced “a precarious moment”.
“The choices that all parties make in the coming days will determine which path this region is on, with profound consequences for its people now and possibly for years to come,” Blinken said.
“The path to diplomacy may seem difficult to see at this moment, but it is there and in our judgement, it is necessary,” he added. “We will continue to work intensely with all parties to urge them to choose that course.”
Blinken’s remarks came just hours after the Israeli military launched a series of air strikes on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, against what it said was Lebanese group Hezbollah’s “central headquarters”.
At least six people were killed and more than 70 others were injured in the attacks on the Dahiyeh area, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry, in what witnesses described as an “unprecedented” assault that flattened six residential buildings.
The death toll is expected to rise as rescue crews dig through the rubble.
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