Middle East conflict is not escalating but there are "lots of danger points," top US diplomat sa

 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that the Israel-Hamas war is not turning into a wider regional conflict, but acknowledged there are "danger points".

"I don't think the conflict is escalating," Blinken said. "There are a lot of danger points out there. We're trying to deal with each of them."

Here he explains in detail:

Houthi attacks in the Red Sea: Blinken said the UN Security Council has approved a resolution calling on Yemen's Houthi rebels to stop their "brazen" attacks in the Red Sea. "We have a number of countries who have made it clear that if it doesn't stop, they will have to face consequences. And unfortunately, it hasn't stopped. But we want to make sure that it stops, and we are committed to doing that." Ready for it," he said.

Israel-Hezbollah tensions: Blinken said "aggressive" diplomatic efforts are underway to quell the ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and Israel, and to ensure that people on both sides of the border - northern Israel and southern Lebanon - In - Those who have been forced from their homes can return. Blinken said Israel has "mobilized a large number of forces, starting from the north."

West Bank: Blinken also said work was being done to ensure that "the West Bank does not explode, does not catch fire."

He also said that efforts are underway to end the fighting in Gaza, but Israel must ensure that an incident like October 7, 2023 does not happen again. "We also want to see this conflict end and until that happens, we will ensure that humanitarian assistance gets to those who need it," he said.