US Secretary of State Blinken arrives in Israel

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel at the start of a Middle East tour Tuesday, aimed at shoring up the Gaza cease-fire.

Blinken, who landed at Ben Gurion International Airport early Tuesday, is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the region since President Joe Biden assumed office.

He was welcomed on the tarmac by Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and other officials.

He'll be meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is fighting for his political life after a fourth inconclusive election in two years.

Netanyahu faces mounting criticism from Israelis who say he ended the offensive prematurely, without forcibly halting Palestinian rocket attacks or dealing a heavier blow to Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers.