“We continue to work intensively to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and prevent the spread of the conflict,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Middle East ceasefire negotiations “have now reached a final stage” and that the United States work with Egypt and Qatar to reach an agreement to prevent any further escalation of violence.
“Everyone in the region should understand that further attacks only perpetuate conflict, instability and insecurity, and only increase the risk of dangerous outcomes that no one can predict or fully control.”Antony Blinken said Tuesday.
“It is urgent that everyone in the region take stock of the situation, understand the risk of miscalculation and make decisions that will ease tensions rather than exacerbate them. This is all the more true as we find ourselves at a decisive moment in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations.”.
The US Secretary of State made the comments following a meeting with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles in Annapolis, Maryland, US.
This meeting comes asA dozen F/A-18 fighters from the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier have arrived at a military base in the Middle East, part of the Pentagon’s efforts to help Israel to defend against possible attacks by Iran and its proxies and to protect U.S. troops, an official said.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the strengthening of the military presence in the region as the authorities worry about the escalation of violence in the Middle East following the assassination last week of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and the top political leader of Hamas in Iran in suspected Israeli strikes.
Both Hezbollah and Hamas are backed by Iran.
