Blinken meets with Lebanese PM
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, whose economically and politically ravaged country is home to Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed force hostile to Israel.
Neither Blinken nor Mikati spoke to reporters at the top of their meeting at a hotel in Amman, Jordan. Blinken also met with Qatar’s foreign minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose country has emerged as the most influential interlocutor with Hamas and has been key to negotiating the limited release of hostages held by the group.
The U.S. has grave concerns that Hezbollah, which has already stepped up rocket and cross-border attacks on northern Israel, will take a more active role in the war as the nation’s assault on Gaza continues.
In a recorded address yesterday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah did not forecast the groups greater involvement, but said a wider conflict could not be ruled out.
Read the full article here