The top U.S. diplomat claimed good progress has been made toward a cease-fire in Lebanon after negotiators held discussions Thursday.
"Based on my recent trip to the region, and the work that's ongoing right now, we have made good progress on those understandings," Blinken told reporters.
"It's important to make sure we have clarity, both from Lebanon and from Israel, about what would be required under 1701 to get its effective implementation," Blinken said.
He said that Washington was "working very hard" on concluding arrangements on a deal that would include the withdrawal of Hezbollah from the border region with Israel.
"We still have more work to do," he said, calling for a "diplomatic resolution, including through a cease-fire."
Two senior U.S. officials, Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk, met Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said that any deal on Lebanon must guarantee Israel's security. Hochstein also held talks with Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
Unlike in the year-old war in Gaza, the United States has stopped short of calling for an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon and has largely backed Israeli strikes against Hezbollah.
Blinken called again for the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, dating from 2006, which calls for the disarmament of non-state groups in Lebanon and a full Israeli withdrawal from the country.
"It's important to make sure that we have clarity, both from Lebanon and from Israel, about what would be required under 1701 to get its effective implementation – the withdrawal of Hezbollah forces from the border, the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces, the authorities under which they'd be acting, an appropriate enforcement mechanism," Blinken said.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, speaking alongside Blinken and their South Korean counterparts, said there was an "opportunity" in Lebanon.
"We're hopeful that we will see things transition in Lebanon in a not too distant future," Austin said.
