'Clear and Legitimate Interests': Blinken Extends Support to Israel's Campaign Against Hezbollah

Vientiane: Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday gave support to Israel's escalated campaign against Hezbollah, saying it had “clear and legitimate” reasons, but said the US is trying to find a diplomatic solution to the war.

“When the horror of October 7 happened, the next day Hezbollah joined in, trying to create another front in the process,” he told a news conference after attending an annual meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Laos.

He said Israel has a “clear and very legitimate interest” in trying to allow the return of its citizens who were evacuated from their homes in northern Israel because of Hezbollah fire. “The people of Lebanon want the same thing,” he said, referring to Lebanese who fled homes near the border to escape Israeli bombardment.

“We believe that the best way to get there is through a diplomatic understanding, one that we've been working on for some time and one that we're extremely focused on right now,” he said.

Blinken said it was also important that civilians are protected amid fighting in Lebanon and Gaza, adding that not enough humanitarian aid is reaching north Gaza and other areas. 

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