(Reuters) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
TYRE\/RIYADH, Oct 23 – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pushed on Wednesday for a halt to fighting between Israel and militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah, but heavy Israeli air strikes on a large historic Lebanese port city demonstrated that there was no respite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Israel began to bomb the UNESCO-listed port city of Tyre roughly three hours after issuing an order online for residents to flee central areas. Huge clouds of thick smoke billowed above residential buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tens of thousands of people had already fled Tyre in recent weeks as Israel steps up its campaign to destroy Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, both close allies of Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The port is typically a bustling hub for the south – with fishermen, tourists, and even U.N. peacekeepers on a break from deployments near the border spending time there by the sea. But Israel’s evacuation orders this week for the city have for the first time encompassed swathes of it, including right up to its ancient castle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some Lebanese fear their country will end up like Gaza, where Israeli strikes have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and levelled much of the small enclave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Gaza, where Israel has intensified an assault on the northern edge of the territory since killing the leader of Hamas last week, health authorities reported at least 20 people killed<\/a> in fresh Israeli strikes, most in the north.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Blinken, who has travelled to the Middle East regularly since the outbreak of the war, is making his first trip since Israel killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, its most-wanted enemy, a death Washington hopes can provide an impetus for peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The secretary of state’s trip is the last major U.S. peace push before a Nov. 5 presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, which could upend U.S. policy in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Washington is also seeking to head off a further widening of the conflict in anticipation of Israeli retaliation for an Iranian Oct. 1 missile attack, launched by Tehran in solidarity with Hezbollah and Hamas. Blinken said on Wednesday that Israel’s retaliation should not lead to greater escalation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After meeting Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken travelled to regional power and close U.S. ally Saudi Arabia, where he met Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. A stop in Jordan was postponed, but Blinken is expected to meet other Arab leaders at a stop in London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n