Amos Hochstein, U.S. President Joe Biden's senior envoy, arrived in Lebanon on Wednesday for continued diplomatic discussions, as Hezbollah remains poised to retaliate against Israel for the assassination of its high-ranking military leader, Fuad Shukr.
Diplomatic insiders, speaking to the British Financial Times, say that Hezbollah is not in a listening mood, and have maintained a staunch reluctance to delay its response since Shukr's assassination. Efforts to communicate with Hezbollah have been met with a resolute silence, as the group has consolidated its ranks and remains unresponsive.
This pattern isn't new. On Saturday, the Lebanese Al-Jadeed channel reported that Arab intermediaries had asked Hezbollah to postpone its retaliation until after August 15 to avoid disrupting ongoing negotiations. Hezbollah has neither confirmed nor denied the request. The channel also highlighted heightened international efforts to de-escalate tensions and mitigate Hezbollah's response to avoid giving Israel a pretext to widen the conflict.
Ahead of Hochstein's arrival in Beirut, Lebanese observers speculated on the purpose and potential impact of his visit. Hezbollah has steadfastly stated that it will continue its "support front" for Palestinians from Lebanon as long as the Gaza conflict persists. High-ranking officials within Hezbollah have affirmed that their retaliation for Shukr's killing is inevitable and will occur irrespective of any Gaza-related agreements.
The Lebanese newspaper Al Joumhouria, known for its anti-Hezbollah stance, suggested that a "Hochstein Iron Dome" strategy was being prepared in anticipation of Hezbollah's actions. The paper reported that, in response to increasing threats of attacks by Iran and Hezbollah on Israel, the U.S., likely in coordination with Israel, has dispatched its representatives to the region.
Conversely, the pro-Hezbollah paper Al-Akhbar claimed Hochstein sought meetings not only with Lebanese officials but also with representatives of Hezbollah's adversaries. His objective, according to the paper, is to galvanize opposition forces against Hezbollah.
Al-Akhbar speculated that Hochstein's mission might be to broker an agreement to moderate or delay Hezbollah and Iran's responses, thereby ensuring minimal damage to Israel. Hochstein is portrayed as advancing Israeli interests.
Hochstein began his meetings Wednesday morning. After a session with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Hochstein addressed the press, stating: "An agreement in Gaza will create the right conditions to reduce tensions between Lebanon and Israel. Nobody wants a war between the two; we need to de-escalate along the border." He underscored the imperative of finding a diplomatic resolution.
Hochstein also conferred with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, whose office released a statement: "We are working on various levels to support the solution endorsed by the presidents of the U.S., Egypt and Qatar. We will discuss the diplomatic solution in meetings in Doha starting tomorrow, which will last several days."
Throughout the day, Arab media outlets sought to decode the outcomes of Hochstein's engagements. Sources informed the Saudi Al-Hadath channel that the atmosphere during Hochstein's visit was "positive," while the pro-Hezbollah Al-Mayadeen network reported that despite a prolonged meeting with Berri, "nothing new emerged from his statements."
Subsequently, a Lebanese official told Al-Jazeera that Hochstein conveyed Washington's robust efforts to secure a cease-fire in Gaza. The source added, "Hochstein called for reducing tensions in Lebanon to prevent matters from escalating into war. He clarified that the U.S. is convinced that stopping the war in Gaza will lead to a cease-fire in Lebanon."