Amos Hochstein has spent months in largely behind-the-scenes diplomacy in an attempt to quieten tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Since the war in Gaza began in October, there have been worsening daily exchanges of fire, and tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced on both sides of the "Blue Line" between Israel and Lebanon.
Over the weekend, the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the head of the UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, Aroldo Lázaro, said in a joint statement that they were "deeply concerned" about the escalation along Lebanon's border, describing the "very real" risk that a miscalculation along the southern border could trigger a wider war.
That warning was underlined yesterday when Israel assassinated a Hezbollah commander in his car near the southern Lebanese city of Tyre.
Hochstein met Netanyahu and the Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant, yesterday before flying to Lebanon where he will meet Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament and leader of the Amal movement, who has represented Hezbollah's views to western interlocutors.
There is growing anxiety in Washington and elsewhere over the risk of a serious escalation between the two sides, not least after Israel's killing last week of Taleb Abdallah, the most senior Hezbollah commander to be targeted so far.
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'Show your teeth' Arteta's message to players as Arsenal lose more ground
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Amorim hit by visa delay as he jets in to lead United
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Ødegaard brings clarity in the chaos but a few regrets too
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Neto makes point as Arsenal falter again
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Beaming McKenna savours Ipswich's winning moment
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Campbell earns United the Sheffield bragging rights
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Bompastor keeps cool despite more perfection
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Barnes has last chop to cut down Forest
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WSL roundup Hayashi saves Everton but trouble looms
When the Crystal Palace midfielder My Cato found herself with the ball on the left, inside a minute at the VBS Community Stadium, the Everton defence followed, three of the back four shifting across and then looking back in horror as an unmarked Indiah-Paige Riley collected the pass from Cato in the middle before slotting home.
