U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz at the State Department in Washington, U.S., June 3, 2021. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS

i24 News — Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday at the State Department to discuss the ongoing unrest in the region.

“Very happy today to have the opportunity to pursue that conversation, to talk about the United States’ enduring commitment to Israel’s security and to talk about some of the needs that Israel has in that regard,” Blinken said.

The officials discussed the Iran nuclear threat, as well as the recent 11-day conflagration between Israel and the Gaza Strip-based terrorists of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad.

Gantz used the occasion to “re-convey Israel’s appreciation for the administration, for the president, for yourself, for the ongoing support, which is very important for us to our challenge in the area.”

“I’m looking forward to discussions we have discussed before, the challenges that we have with Iran, with the Palestinians as far as Gaza is concerned, we do look for stability and prosperity for everybody,” he added.