Washington urges Israel to address Iran carefully to avoid regional escalation

The United States has called on Israel to strike back against Iran in a manner that avoids further escalating tensions in the Middle East.

This statement was made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken before he departed for Riyadh, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

"It is crucial for Israel to respond in a way that does not lead to further escalation," Blinken stated. He emphasised that, despite the ongoing situation, there exists a unique opportunity in the region to move towards a different path that ensures the security of Israel and its position within the Middle East.

Blinken suggested that Saudi Arabia could play a central role in this process, which may involve potential normalisation of relations with Israel.

Discussing the Israeli military's recent elimination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on October 16, Blinken remarked that "now is the time to turn these successes into long-term and strategic achievements."

He expressed the belief that Israel has two primary objectives: to bring hostages home and to end the conflict while considering the future implications of their actions.

Meanwhile, on October 22, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israeli officials to "capitalise" on the recent killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to facilitate the release of remaining hostages in Gaza and potentially bring the ongoing conflict to an end. However, evidence suggests that these objectives are not imminent.

Notably, following discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Secretary Yoav Gallant, a senior US official reported that Blinken emphasised the importance of leveraging this "strategic success" and outlined potential steps for the Israeli government to take in the near term.

Blinken's visit to the region came at the behest of President Joe Biden after Sinwar's death at the hands of the Israeli military. While US officials encourage Israel to seize the opportunity created by this event, they have tempered expectations regarding a rapid resumption of stalled hostage negotiations and ceasefire talks.

By Aghakazim Guliyev