Joe Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday in a show of support for the US ally as its forces prepare for a possible ground attack on Gaza.

Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, confirmed the president’s travel plans at the end of seven hours of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet.

Mr Blinken said the president “will hear from Israel how it will conduct its operations in a way that minimises civilian casualties and enables humanitarian assistance to flow to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not benefit Hamas.” 

It came amid fears of an escalating crisis in the Middle East as the Israeli military said on Tuesday morning it had struck “terrorist” targets in Lebanon.

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