U.S. Special Envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Beirut on Tuesday morning as part of an effort to defuse the escalating situation in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire daily since the onset of the Gaza war.
Amos Hochstein © LNS
U.S. Special Envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Beirut on Tuesday morning as part of an effort to defuse the escalating situation in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire daily since the onset of the Gaza war.
According to an official statement, Hochstein is scheduled to meet with outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati "at his residence in Beirut" at noon. The National News Agency (NNA) reported that Hochstein arrived around 11 a.m. at Ain el-Tineh to meet with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. He also met with Lebanese Army Commander Joseph Aoun earlier in the morning.
Hochstein was in Israel on Monday, where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This visit comes just days after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated during a Middle East tour that a ceasefire in Gaza is the best way to end the violence between Hezbollah and Israel.
The U.S. envoy's visit to Beirut underscores the urgent need for diplomatic intervention as the conflict continues to intensify, posing a significant threat to regional stability. Hochstein's meetings with key Lebanese leaders are seen as a critical step in seeking a resolution to the ongoing hostilities and restoring peace in the region.
Maronite Patriarch Béchara Raï raised the stakes Sunday, declaring that southern Lebanon "is not a bargaining chip." In his Sunday homily in Mayfouk, in the Jbeil district, the cardinal called for the "protection" of the region, insisting that such protection "begins with the state holding a monopoly on weapons », a thinly veiled call for Hezbollah's disarmament.
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