U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein landed in Beirut on Tuesday for talks with officials on a truce between armed group Hezbollah and Israel, Lebanon’s state news agency said, hours after a proposal drafted by Washington won a nod from the Iran-backed group.
The visit indicates progress in U.S.-led diplomacy aimed at ending a conflict which spiralled into all-out war in late September, when Israel launched a major offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Hezbollah endorsed its long-time ally Berri to negotiate over a cease-fire, but both it and Israel have escalated the fight as the political efforts carried on.
A diplomat familiar with the talks cautioned that details still needed to be ironed out and these could still hold up a final agreement.
Khalil said Israel was trying to negotiate “under fire”, a reference to an escalation of its bombardment of Beirut and the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs.
Persons:
Amos Hochstein, Ali Hassan Khalil, Nabih Berri, Berri, Khalil, Israel, ”
Organizations:
Washington, Lebanese, Hezbollah, Reuters, . Security
Locations:
Beirut, Israel, Iran, Lebanon