U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia today, Monday, marking the first stop in his new tour of the Middle East. This visit comes as Washington attempts to push forward negotiations between the kingdom and Israel regarding a normalization agreement, as well as to make progress in discussions regarding governance in Gaza following the recent conflict.
This marks Blinken's fifth trip to the region since the attack by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement "Hamas" on southern Israel on October 7th, during a precarious moment characterized by U.S. strikes on Iran-aligned armed factions in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen in response to a drone attack in Jordan last week that resulted in the deaths of three American soldiers and injuries to dozens.
An American official noted that "Blinken met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in Riyadh." Blinken is also scheduled to visit Egypt, Qatar, and Israel later this week to boost talks mediated by Egypt and Qatar with Hamas aimed at reaching an agreement on hostages.
Blinken's trip to the Middle East comes at a time described by senior U.S. officials as one of the most dangerous periods the region has experienced in decades.
