U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken affirmed that the United States had no prior knowledge of the September 17 explosion of Hezbollah pagers in Lebanon, which resulted in at least 12 deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries. This incident has raised tensions in the region and threatens ongoing cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding the conflict in Gaza. Blinken expressed frustration over repeated escalations that could derail diplomatic efforts, emphasizing the importance of restraint from all parties involved. Hezbollah has accused Israel of orchestrating the attacks, while Israel has remained silent on the matter. Concurrently, negotiators are dealing with the tragic discovery of six hostages’ bodies, further complicating the situation. Blinken continues to work on a cease-fire deal, noting that substantial progress has been made, with 15 of 18 paragraphs agreed upon by involved parties.