Antony Blinken

Blinken Affirms Lebanon Ceasefire “Is Holding” Despite Escalating Tensions

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Wednesday that the ceasefire in Lebanon, brokered to halt hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, remains intact despite reports of violations. Speaking at a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) meeting in Brussels, Blinken said, “The ceasefire is holding, and we’re using the mechanism ...

SOHR Says Pro-Turkey Factions Attack Government, Kurdish Forces

A Syria war monitor said pro-Turkey factions in the north killed government forces and attacked Kurdish fighters in Aleppo province Sunday, as a separate rebel alliance waged an offensive nearby. Turkish forces and their proxies have controlled swathes of territory in northern Syria since Ankara in 2016 began successive ground operations to expel ...

Blinken Vows "Firm Response" to North Korean Troops in Ukraine

US top diplomat Antony Blinken warned Wednesday that the deployment of North Korean troops alongside Russian forces fighting on the Ukrainian border dictates a "firm response". The secretary of state was speaking at the start of a day of Brussels talks with NATO and EU officials to urgently address ramping up support for Kyiv before Donald Trump ...

Blinken in Emergency Brussels Trip on Ukraine After Trump Win

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed Tuesday on an emergency trip to Brussels to discuss how to support Ukraine with European allies in the race before Donald Trump takes the White House. The top US diplomat under outgoing President Joe Biden will meet Wednesday "with his NATO and European Union counterparts to discuss support for Ukraine ...

Blinken to Keep Working to End Mideast conflict in Remainder of Term

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to keep working to end the Gaza and Lebanon wars in his time remaining before handing over to President-elect Donald Trump, the State Department said Thursday. "We will continue to pursue an end to the war in Gaza, an end to the war in Lebanon, a surge of humanitarian assistance (to Gaza), and that is ...

Biden Administration Increases Pressure on Israel Ahead of Election

The Biden administration is increasing the pressure on the Netanyahu government to meet its demands over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. If Israel fails to meet the US’ demands by November 13th, Biden may suspend military assistance to Israel, reports Axios. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin presented ...

Blinken Reports 'Good Progress' on Lebanon Ceasefire Agreement

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that negotiators have made "good progress" toward a deal that would bring a ceasefire in Israel's offensive in Lebanon. The top US diplomat said that Washington was "working very hard" on concluding arrangements on a deal that would include the withdrawal of Shiite militia ...

Blinken Vows to Work With "Urgency" on Diplomatic Solution in Lebanon

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed Friday to work with "real urgency" for a diplomatic resolution to end Israel's offensive in Lebanon but said it was first critical to reach understandings on disarmament of Hezbollah. Shortly after meeting Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati in London, Blinken also pleaded for protection of civilians ...

Blinken Ends Latest Round of Shuttle Diplomacy Without Resolution

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday ended his eleventh round of the Middle East shuttle diplomacy without achieving a Gaza ceasefire. But after persistent disappointment, Blinken this time is trying a new approach that starts by figuring out what happens after the war ends. When he last visited Israel in August, Blinken publicly said ...

Mikati and Blinken in London Call for Ceasefire and Implementation of 1701

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met Friday with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in London, to discuss Israel's strikes on the country as Washington presses the Beirut government to take charge against Hezbollah. This meeting follows Blinken’s Middle East tour and the Paris conference on Lebanon, where Mikati gave a ...

Gaza: Israel Sends Negotiators to Doha, Hamas Open to Conditional Ceasefire

Israel announced on Thursday that it would dispatch a delegation to Qatar to negotiate a deal concerning Gaza that involves the release of hostages, while Hamas stated it was open to discussions on a ceasefire in the Palestinian territory devastated by over a year of war. The latest indirect negotiations, facilitated by mediators—Qatar, Egypt, ...