Live Update
From the Liveblog of
Friday, September 27, 2024
Blinken: ‘Path to diplomacy’ still open in Mideast, conflict not the way forward
The United States still believes a diplomatic solution is possible in the Middle East, Secretary of State Antony Blinken says, hours after an Israeli strike in Lebanon targeted Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.
“The path to diplomacy may seem difficult to see at this moment, but it is there, and in our judgment, it is necessary. We will continue to work intensely,” Blinken tells a news conference.
He says the choices all parties in the Middle East make in the coming days will determine which path the region takes and have profound consequences for years to come, while stressing Washington has made clear it believes the way forward is through diplomacy, not conflict.