Tillerson lands in Egypt to kick off Middle East trip

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Cairo on Sunday, beginning a swing through the Middle East as it grapples with political turmoil and military clashes that threaten to undermine his ability to ease rising tensions.

Tillerson was already facing a series of confrontational talks at almost every stop on his five-country tour. The strains grew even more taut when Egypt launched an offensive against militants in the Sinai, and Israel skirmished with the Iranian-affiliated Syrian military.

Israel said it destroyed an Iranian drone that entered its airspace, and an Israeli plane was shot down over Syria. US officials offered quick assurances of support for Israel’s right to defend itself and called on Iran to get out of Syria.

Besides Egypt, Tillerson also will visit Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey in coming days, where he will engage in a grab bag of the most complicated and sensitive issues embroiling the region.

“These are some of our closest partners,” a senior State Department official told reporters on the condition of anonymity to preview the trip. “But they’re also partners with whom we’re facing some of the toughest issues that we have to face in the region.”