US Secretary of State Urges De-escalation in Middle East During Talks with G7 Foreign Ministers

Washington, DC, August 5
On Sunday, US Secretary Antony Blinken met with G7 Foreign Ministers to discuss diplomatic measures to deescalate the Middle East situation. In a statement, the US State Department said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with G7 Foreign Ministers today to emphasize the critical need for Middle East deescalation.

The Secretary and Foreign Ministers reviewed efforts to reach a ceasefire that releases captives and authorizes massive humanitarian relief to Gaza. The statement said that they discussed how a Gaza ceasefire would enable regional peace and security, particularly across the Blue Line. To avoid escalation, the Secretary and Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to Israel's security and asked all parties to restrain themselves.

After this, US State Department Spokesperson Mathew Miller posted on X, "@SecBlinken spoke with G7 Foreign Ministers to discuss diplomatic efforts to prevent the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East." After Hamas chairman Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran last week, tensions between Israel, Iran, and Lebanon escalate every minute.

The execution of two prominent Hamas and Hezbollah fighters in short succession exacerbated Middle East tensions, in addition to the almost 10-month-old Gaza war. Israeli media reported 50 rockets fired from southern Lebanon at Israel on Sunday (local time), according to SKY News.

Videos showed Israel's Iron Dome system activating. Hezbollah claimed missile attacks on Beit Hillel, a new Israeli settlement. This is in response to Israel's civilian-damaging Gaza village attacks. Hezbollah aids Palestinian resistance. According to Hezbollah, "In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their valiant and honourable resistance, and in response to the Israeli enemy's attacks on the steadfast southern villages and safe homes, especially the attacks that targeted the villages of Kafr Kila and Deir Siryan and injured civilians, the Islamic Resistance included the new settlement of Beit Hillel in its fire schedule and bombarded it for the first time with dozens of Katyusha rockets."