Live: Blinken to head to Middle East as risks of regional conflict grow US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will set off Thursday on his fourth crisis trip to the Middle East, including a visit to Israel, an official said, as fears mount that the Israel-Hamas conflict will spiral into a regional war. The trip comes after the killing of Hamas deputy head Saleh al-Arouri in the Beirut suburbs on Tuesday. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments.