Blinken: US striving to prevent broader conflict as violence escalates in Lebanon

Shafaq News/ US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that the United States is still working to prevent a broader conflict in the Middle East, including through a diplomatic solution in Lebanon.

"We continue to engage intensely to prevent broader conflict in the region," Blinken told reporters on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Laos.

"It's clear that the people of Lebanon have an interest -- a strong interest -- in the state asserting itself and taking responsibility for the country and its future," Blinken said.

The situation in Lebanon remains tense as Israel intensifies its strikes on southern Lebanon, Beirut, and the Bekaa Valley. In response, Hezbollah has launched attacks on Israeli settlements and military bases.

According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, around 1,200 people have been killed in the Israeli offensive, with more than 10,200 injured.