US Seeks Halt to Israel-Hezbollah Conflict Escalation

The United States is working to prevent a conflict escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, as Hezbollah insists on Gaza ceasefire, according to United States envoy, Amos Hochstein, on Wednesday.

For the past eight months, Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire in conjunction with the war in Gaza.

Recently, Hezbollah launched its heaviest barrages of rockets and drones at Israeli military positions after Israel’s strike killed their highest-ranking commander.

Hochstein, who serves as a special envoy to President Joe Biden, mentioned that he was sent to Lebanon right after a brief visit to Israel due to the gravity of the situation.

Hochstein said, “We have seen an escalation over the last few weeks. And what President Biden wants to do is to avoid a further escalation to a greater war.”

Earlier on Tuesday morning, he met with the head of Lebanon’s army and later spoke to reporters after a meeting with parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who leads the armed Amal movement. 

This movement is allied with Hezbollah and has also launched rockets at Israel in recent months.

Both the U.S. and France are making diplomatic efforts to achieve a negotiated end to the hostilities along Lebanon’s border. 
Hezbollah has stated it would not stop its attacks unless there is a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Hochstein urged Hamas to accept a U.S.-supported ceasefire proposal for Gaza, which he claimed “also provides an opportunity to end the conflict across the Blue Line,” referring to the disputed demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel.

U.N. human rights chief, Volker Turk, expressed concern about the escalation, calling “for a cessation of hostilities and for actors with influence to take all possible measures to avert a full-scale war.”