Secretary Of State Antony Blinken said that the U.S. is committed to strengthening ties with Cairo in a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.

Blinken also reiterated Egypt's efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and said that it had been a "critical partner" in maintaining peace and stability in the region.

Earlier in the day he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

Blinken's visit comes as the region remains on high alert due to the risk of war expanding, particularly after Hezbollah promised to retaliate against Israel, accusing it of detonating pagers across Lebanon.