US State Secretary Antony Blinken has paid an unannounced visit to Iraq, as he tours the Middle East attempting to tamp down tensions after Israel began bombarding Gaza in retaliation for the October 7 attack by Palestinian group Hamas, Reuters reports.

After an earlier visit to the occupied West Bank, Blinken landed in Baghdad evening for his first visit to the country as the US top diplomat and held talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani.

Washington wants to prevent a wider regional conflict and has stepped up diplomacy with regional countries whose populations have been angered by Israel’s assault on Gaza.