US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday “now is the time” to end the conflict in Gaza, and urged Israel to avoid further escalation with Iran.
Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and has pledged to hit back against Iran’s October 1 missile strike.
In Lebanon, AFP correspondents reported several Israeli air strikes on Tyre, after the military warned residents of parts of the coastal city to flee ahead of operations targeting Hezbollah.
The warning sparked a new exodus from the once vibrant city, which is perched on the Mediterranean coast, and AFPTV footage showed plumes of thick black smoke rising from the city after the strikes.
