Blinken Meets w/Israeli Officials; 3 Hezbollah Members Killed In Strike

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has landed in Tel Aviv for talks with Israeli gov't officials as he seeks to calm tensions in the region. Alongside Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Blinken stated that "There is lots to talk about, in particular the way forward." Talk of what is to come likely a response to Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant's comments last week outlining a potential plan for Gaza post-war in which Israel would retain overall security control of the strip.

• Blinken's visit also comes as tensions between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon escalate. Following the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander Wissam Tawil in an apparent Israeli airstrike on 8 Jan, reports from Beirut suggest that another three Hezbollah members have been hit in a similar strike on the morning of 9 Jan. Hezbollah has ramped up its attacks on Israeli positions along the Lebanese border, and there remains the notable prospect of a significant escalation in the conflict.
• While the Israel-Hamas war continues, the Times of Israel reportsthat a high-level Israeli delegation has arrived in Cairo for talks on releasing Israeli hostages held by Hamas. "The development indicates that indirect talks are back on track, after the assassination of senior Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in Lebanon last week in a strike widely attributed to Israel."