Blinken to extend Middle East tour, return to Israel on Monday

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return to Israel on Monday extending his West Asia shuttle diplomacy by a day as Israel prepares for a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. The top U.S. diplomat reached Israel on Thursday and has since visited six Arab countries.

U.S. State Department said, Mr Blinken reached Cairo on Sunday for talks with Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.