U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is headed to Israel on a Middle East mission to prevent a wider war from erupting after an attack and hostage-taking by Palestinian Hamas militants and an Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
In a show of solidarity with Washington’s closest Middle East ally, Blinken was due to meet senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to discuss further boosting military support.
He will work with regional U.S. allies to try to secure the release of more than 100 people that Israel says Hamas holds captive, some of whom may be American citizens.
A senior State Department official said Blinken will visit other countries in the region after making stops in Israel and Jordan.
Blinken said at least 22 Americans were killed during the attack where Hamas gunmen rampaged through Israeli towns over the weekend, killing 1,200 people and taking scores of hostages to Gaza.