Latest Middle East News: Sirens sound in Tel Aviv as projectiles are intercepted near Blinken’s hotel

Air raid sirens echoed across Tel Aviv on Wednesday as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken prepared to wrap up a visit. Smoke, apparently from an intercepted projectile, could be seen in the sky above the hotel where Blinken was staying.

Blinken said Israel needs to seek “lasting strategic success” after its recent tactical victories against Hamas, urging it to seek a deal to end the war and bring back dozens of hostages before departing for Saudi Arabia as part of of his 11th visit to Saudi Arabia. region since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

But both sides appear to be entrenched. Netanyahu promised to annihilate Hamas and recover dozens of hostages held by the group. Hamas says it will only release captives in exchange for a lasting ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants punched holes in Israel’s security fence and invaded, killing about 1,200 people – mostly civilians – and kidnapping another 250. Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, who do not distinguish between militants and civilians. The war has destroyed large areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population of 2.3 million people.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development said in a report that it could take 350 years for Gaza’s struggling economy to return to its precarious pre-war level.

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TEL AVIV, Israel – Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Israel needs to pursue “lasting strategic success” after its recent tactical victories against Hamas, urging it to seek an agreement to end the war and bring about dozens of hostages return.

He spoke to reporters on Wednesday before traveling from Israel to Saudi Arabia on his 11th visit to the region since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack triggered the war in Gaza.

The United States hopes to relaunch ceasefire efforts following the assassination of top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in an Israeli military operation in Gaza last week.

But there is no indication that either warring party has changed its demands since talks stalled over the summer. Hamas said its demands had not changed after Sinwar’s death.

Blinken, who met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials on Tuesday, said he had pressed Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza and reiterated his warning that failure to do so could lead to a reduction in US military aid.

“There has been progress, which is good, but more progress needs to be made” on that front, he said.

TEL AVIV, Israel — Air raid sirens echoed across Tel Aviv on Wednesday as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken prepared to depart his hotel for the airport.

The Israeli military said it intercepted two projectiles fired from Lebanon. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Smoke, apparently coming from one of the interceptions, could be seen in the sky above the hotel where Blinken was staying.

He is on his 11th visit to the region since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, hoping to renew ceasefire efforts following the assassination of top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.