"Every indication is that indeed the rocket was from Hezbollah. We stand by Israel's right to defend its citizens from terrorist attacks," Blinken told reporters in Japan.

The Israeli military accused Hezbollah of launching an Iranian-made rocket that struck young people at a football field in the Druze-Arab town of Majdal Shams on Saturday.

Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the attack.

"We are determined to bring the Gaza conflict to a close. It's gone on for far too long. It's cost far too many lives. We want to see Israelis, we want to see Palestinians, we want to see Lebanese live free from the threat of conflict and violence," Blinken said.

"We're in conversations with the government of Israel. And again, I emphasise its right to defend its citizens and our determination to make sure that they're able to do that," he said in Tokyo.

"But we also don't want to see the conflict escalating. We don't want to see a spread. That has been one of our goals from day one, from October 7 on, and we'll continue to do that."

"But again, the best way to do that in a sustained way is to get the ceasefire in Gaza that we're working so hard on virtually every minute of the day," he said.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online