Blinken renews Gaza truce bid in Israel as Hezbollah claims drone attack on Netanyahu’s home
US secretary of state makes his 11th visit to the region since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday in the first big US push for a Middle East ceasefire since Israel killed the leader of Hamas last week – and the last attempt before a presidential election that could upend US policy.
Diplomatic efforts have so far failed to bring an end to both the year-long war in Gaza and to its spillover conflict between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Blinken faces a daunting mission. Hezbollah said on Tuesday there would be no negotiations while fighting continues and it claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Netanyahu’s holiday home on Saturday.
The group “takes full and sole responsibility” for targeting Netanyahu’s house, Mohammad Afif, head of the Iranian-backed militant group’s media office, told a press conference in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
“If our hands didn’t reach you the previous time, then days, nights and the battlefield are still between us,” he said.
Hezbollah also for the first time acknowledged that Israel had captured some of its fighters since it launched a ground offensive in south Lebanon, and said that Israel was responsible for their well-being.