Blinken Warns of Escalating Tensions in the Middle East Following Explosion of Thousands of Hezbollah Communication Devices

Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, warned of the danger of escalating tensions in the Middle East a day after the explosion of thousands of Hezbollah pagers in Lebanon. In response to a question about these explosions, Blinken noted that the United States is still gathering and assessing information, emphasizing that the expansion of conflict benefits no one. Speaking at a press conference alongside his Egyptian counterpart on Wednesday, September 28, Blinken stressed the need for all parties to refrain from 'any actions that could escalate the conflict.' Meanwhile, a new wave of explosions hit Lebanon on Wednesday. Reuters reported, citing a security source and an eyewitness, that on Wednesday, one day after the explosion of thousands of pagers belonging to Hezbollah affiliates, handheld radios used by Hezbollah members in southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut exploded. According to reports, these explosions had left several dead and hundreds injured by the time this news was published. The U.S. Secretary of State is in Cairo to meet with Egyptian officials, hoping to focus this trip on efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and improve relations with Egypt. The militant group Hezbollah holds Israel responsible for the explosion of thousands of pagers across Lebanon and claims it will take revenge. According to the Lebanese Health Minister, at least 12 people were killed and nearly three thousand injured due to the explosion of these pagers on Tuesday in Lebanon. Israel has not commented on these explosions. Reports also indicate similar explosions in Syria. Hezbollah was established in 1982 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Several countries, including the United States, Israel, Germany, Serbia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Australia, have recognized the group as a terrorist organization. Recognizing Hezbollah as a terrorist organization means not distinguishing between its political and military branches and labeling both as terrorists. Blinken did not mention who the United States believes is responsible for these explosions during his press conference. He also emphasized that his focus is on achieving a ceasefire agreement that brings calm, including at Israel's northern border with Lebanon. Blinken stated that achieving progress requires a long wait for messages to be sent between the two sides, which can be disrupted by events that complicate the process. He added that an event or incident might make negotiations difficult, threaten, halt, or derail the process, preventing the desired outcome. Blinken also referred to the killing of six Israeli hostages by Hamas last month. During the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7 of last year, at least 1,200 Israeli citizens, including women, children, and the elderly, were killed, and over 250 others were taken hostage. Following this terrorist attack, Israel launched an assault on Gaza to destroy Hamas and retrieve the hostages taken by Hamas. The Hamas group is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Japan, and several other countries. The Egyptian presidency stated that Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the President of Egypt, told Blinken in a Wednesday morning meeting that Egypt opposes efforts to 'escalate the conflict and expand its scope in the region and urges all parties to act responsibly.' A U.S. State Department official said that Blinken will travel from Cairo to Paris on Thursday to meet with the foreign ministers of France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. According to him, events in the Middle East, Ukraine, and other parts of the world will be among the topics discussed. Antony Blinken will also meet with Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, but will not travel to Israel. This is the first time since the onset of the war in Gaza about a year ago that the U.S. Secretary of State has not visited Israel during a trip to the Middle East. Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said on Tuesday that the purpose of Blinken's trip to Egypt is to negotiate bilateral relations and that the Gaza ceasefire proposal being worked on by the U.S. and other countries is not yet ready to be presented to Israel. Source: Reuters. Hezbollah of Lebanon accuses Israel of widespread communication device explosions and threatens revenge. The number of fatalities from the pager explosions in Lebanon has risen to 12. Reuters: Israel had planted explosives in the pagers ordered by Hezbollah months ago. A new wave of explosions in Lebanon; at least 14 dead and 450 injured due to the explosion of Hezbollah radios. Reuters: The exploded pagers of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria were 'Taiwanese and made in Hungary.' The government shoots at protesters' eyes in Iran, sending eye surgeons to Lebanon. The face and eyes of the Islamic Republic of Iran's ambassador to Lebanon have been seriously injured. The 98th Brigade of the Israeli army is stationed at the Lebanese border.