The top U.S. diplomat Antony Blinken said that Washington would take "every measure" if its interests in the Middle East are attacked, as Israel continues its aggression with the latest airstrikes in Lebanon, which leveled down several buildings late Friday.
To "anyone using this to target American personnel, American interests in the region – the United States will take every measure," Blinken told a news conference in New York.
In a news conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the United States' top diplomat said Washington has made clear it believes the way forward is through diplomacy, not conflict.
Blinken also said the choices all parties in the Middle East make in the coming days would determine which path the region takes and have profound consequences for years to come.
On Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Washington would continue to provide military aid to Israel, playing down the idea of "red lines," even as he warned that an all-out conflict between Israel and Hezbollah would be devastating.
