The United States talks with Israel and Qatar to avoid an escalation in the Middle East after the attack by Iran

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds phone calls with Israeli and Qatari officials to deescalate conflict in the Middle East

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has been actively working to prevent further escalation in the Middle East following Iran’s recent attack on Israel. Blinken held phone calls with Benny Gantz, Minister of the Israeli War Cabinet, and with the Qatari Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, to discuss the ongoing conflict in the region.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the calls on Tuesday, stating that Blinken reiterated the United States‘ opposition to continued escalation. “We have been clear that we are committed to the defense of Israel, but we do not want to see an escalation in the conflict,” Miller said.

Tensions in the Middle East have been running high since Iran’s attack on Israel over the weekend, which was described as a “clearly escalatory action” by the US State Department. The situation is further complicated by the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

Iran launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel in retaliation for an earlier attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. The Israeli government’s response to the attack remains unclear, with Defense Minister Benny Gantz stating that Israel will act with strategic intelligence and respond as it sees fit.

US President Joe Biden has also weighed in on the situation, expressing a desire to prevent further spreading of the conflict. Biden reaffirmed the US commitment to Israel’s security and called for a ceasefire to bring hostages home and prevent the conflict from escalating.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Chia al Sudani visited the White House to discuss the presence of US troops in Iraq and urged for restraint in the region. The White House denied claims that it had prior knowledge of Iran’s attack on Israel, describing it as a “stunning and embarrassing failure.”

As tensions continue to simmer in the Middle East, the international community is closely monitoring the situation and working towards a peaceful resolution to prevent further conflict. (With information from AFP and EFE)