US envoy visits Israel in effort to head off escalating war with Hezbollah

In a bid to head off an escalating war with Hezbollah, White House envoy and mediator Amos Hochstein met with Israel i Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv on Sunday night.

“We are committed to our citizens. We are ready to resolve this crisis via diplomatic understandings, however we are also prepared for any other scenario,” said Gallant.

Israel seeks to have Hezbollah removed from the Southern Lebanon. Israeli sources told the Tazpit Press Service in January that Jerusalem won’t make any concessions and will continue pushing to have the Iran-backed Hezbollah removed from Southern Lebanon.

The presence of armed Hezbollah forces in Southern Lebanon violates UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the Second War in Lebanon in 2006. Under that agreement, the Lebanese Armed Forces are supposed to be the only armed group south of the Litani River.

Since October 7, Hezbollah has fired more than 2,000 rockets and anti-tank missiles and launched dozens of aerial drones, killing six Israeli civilians and nine soldiers. More than 80,000 people living near the Lebanese border to evacuate, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters on Saturday.