US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Visits Saudi Arabia Amid Efforts to Revive Hostage Deal and Ceasefire Talks

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Saudi Arabia, nearly seven months after the Gaza war halted efforts to secure a hostage deal with Hamas. The trip comes as Americans prepare to vote on President Joe Biden's re-election in November, which may impact progress on normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman emphasized the need for "cool-headed" leaders to prevail, while Saudi Finance Minister warned of potential long-term economic damage from regional instability, a concern echoed by the International Monetary Fund.