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A r u b a ’ s O N L Y E n g l i s h n e w s p a p e r
Aruba’s ONLY English newspaper
Blinken heads to the Mideast again as fears of regional conflict surge

By MATTHEW LEE AP
Diplomatic Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — As the
Biden administration grap-
ples with an increasingly
tense and unstable situation
in the Middle East, Secretary
of State Antony Blinken is
heading to the region this
weekend for the fourth time
in three months on a tour ex-
pected to focus largely on
easing resurgent fears that
the Israel-Hamas war could
erupt into a broader conflict.
With international criticism of
Israel’s operations in Gaza
mounting, growing U.S. con-
cerns about the end game,
and more immediate worries
about a recent explosion in
attacks in the Red Sea, Leb-
anon, Iran and Iraq, Blinken Supporters of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group raise their fists and cheer, as they listen to a speech by Hezbollah leader Sayyed
will have a packed and dif- Hassan Nasrallah speaking via a video link during a ceremony to mark the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Iran’s Quds
ficult agenda. He leaves just force General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon,
days after a suspected Israeli Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024.
attack killed a senior Hamas Associated Press
leader in Beirut and, while a Page 2
White House spokesman said Blinken’s mission. “We don’t Matthew Miller said. “There secretary believes it is the those challenges head on,
“nobody should be shed- expect every conversation are obviously tough issues responsibility of the United and he’s prepared to do that
ding a tear” over his death, on this trip to be easy,” State facing the region and diffi- States of America to lead in the days to come.”
it could further complicate Department spokesman cult choices ahead. But the diplomatic efforts to tackle Continued on Page 2