TEL AVIV — Senior White House officials will travel to Israel on Thursday, a U.S. official and a source briefed on the matter told NBC News, as the Biden administration intensifies efforts to end the conflicts in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
The officials are expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the possibility of a deal to end the fighting in Lebanon, the source said.
Brett McGurk, National Security Council coordinator for the Middle East, and Amos Hochstein, a U.S. special envoy with a focus on Lebanon, are also expected to meet other senior Israeli officials, the source said.
McGurk and Hochstein will engage the U.S. ally on a range of issues including Gaza, Lebanon, hostages and Iran, the U.S. official said.
But the visit of McGurk and Hochstein comes amid growing optimism in Israel that a cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon could now be reached without a deal to end the war in Gaza.
Persons:
Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Brett McGurk, Amos Hochstein, McGurk, Hochstein, Michael “ Erik ” Kurilla, William Burns, Hassan Nasrallah, ”
Organizations:
TEL AVIV — Senior White House, U.S, NBC, National Security, U.S . Central Command, CIA
Locations:
TEL, Israel, Lebanon, Gaza, U.S, Iran, Cairo, Hezbollah