U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Wednesday in Cairo, aiming to bolster efforts toward a ceasefire in Gaza and to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.
Blinken arrived in Cairo early Wednesday amid heightened tensions across the region.
The visit comes as concerns grow over the potential for the conflict to escalate, following threats from the militant group Hezbollah to retaliate against Israel.
Hezbollah accused Israel of detonating explosives across Lebanon on Tuesday, an incident that left at least nine people dead and nearly 3,000 injured.
Israel has not commented on the explosions.
During a State Department briefing, spokesperson Matthew Miller said it was too early to determine whether the situation in Lebanon would impact ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.
However, he reiterated that the U.S. believes diplomacy is key to de-escalating tensions.
Blinken is also expected to meet with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and other senior officials during his visit.
