Antony Blinken held talks with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman yesterday|@SecBlinken|X
Secretary of State Antony Blinken embarked on a mission to the Middle East on Monday, aiming to defuse US tensions with Iran-backed militias and broker a ceasefire in Gaza.
Blinken held talks with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stressing the urgency of addressing the crisis in Gaza.
His goal is to negotiate a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas, arrange for the release of hostages in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian detainees, and facilitate the delivery of much-needed aid to the region.
However, tensions escalated as a drone strike targeted a Syrian military base—used by the US and allies—resulting in the deaths of six Kurdish fighters. The attack, attributed to an Iran-linked militia, underscores the volatile situation in the region.
Biden calls Netanyahu a “bad f*****g guy”
In a private conversation, President Joe Biden reportedly referred to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu as “a bad f*****g guy”, reports Politico.
Biden is wary of Netanyahu’s purported eagerness to escalate Middle East tension, fearing it could lead to increased US involvement and political gains for Netanyahu amid international turmoil. According to Biden spokesperson Andrew Bates, “The president did not say that, nor would he.”