US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in action like a fire brigade in crisis. Time is of the essence: the situation in Gaza is getting worse. And Hezbollah's provocations could lead to the emergence of a second front.
It's a difficult mission for the US Secretary of State. Antony Blinken is traveling to the Middle East to calm the situation as fire departments are in crisis. This is not the first time that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with important actors in the region since the start of the war in Gaza. But his current trip comes at a delicate time: the risk of expanding the conflict is increasing. UN organizations and Arab countries warn of an increasingly dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Violence is rising in the West Bank. At the same time, Iran's ally in Lebanon, the Shiite militia Hezbollah, is increasing its attacks on Israel – a provocation that could lead to the emergence of a second front.
Dangerous climb on the border with Lebanon
It's a dangerous game that has been going on for weeks. Hezbollah fires rockets into northern Israel. The Israeli armed forces counterattack with artillery. Numerous Israeli cities and towns on the border with Lebanon have therefore already had to be evacuated. Now these disputes have intensified. Hezbollah has vowed revenge for Israel's assassination of Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Aruri in Lebanon.