Antony Blinken held tense talks in Turkey on Monday as the US secretary of state extended a dash through the Middle East to try to head off regional spillover from Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Alarmed at the risks the conflict could spiral into a wider war, the Foreign Office said it was pulling some embassy staff and all family members out of Lebanon, from where the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah could open a second front against Israel. “Events in Lebanon are fast moving. The situation has potential to deteriorate quickly and with no warning,” it said. Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho also stressed the need for “de-escalating” soaring tensions across the Middle East.
