LONDON, (TDI): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati in London today, as the US urges Israel to keep its military operations against Hezbollah limited.
Blinken arrived in London late Thursday following a three-nation tour of the Middle East, where he emphasized the need to protect civilian populations.
He will also hold separate meetings on Friday with the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, both key US allies involved in post-war plans for the Gaza Strip.
Prime Minister Mikati is heading into talks with Blinken after attending a conference in Paris focused on assisting Lebanon, where he emphasized that only the Lebanese state should control weapons.
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Israel has indicated its intention to significantly weaken Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed group that has launched missiles at Israel in support of Hamas since October 7, 2023. Notably, Blinken did not attend the Paris conference.
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While the US has refrained from demanding an immediate halt to Israeli strikes in Lebanon—given Israel’s reliance on US military and political backing—Blinken stated earlier in Qatar that Israel is working to eliminate the Hezbollah threat but ultimately a diplomatic resolution is necessary.
He also stressed the importance of minimizing civilian casualties and protecting the Lebanese Armed Forces and UN peacekeepers.
