US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held separate phone calls on Thursday with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on ending the conflict in the Middle East, the State Department said.

The recent call with the two officials comes amid rising tensions in the region and the killing of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar.

The Israeli military earlier today announced that its forces killed Hamas leader Sinwar in southern Gaza’s Rafah, after a firefight with the militant leader and two other fighters the previous day.