Did Hochstein carry the 'last warning' to Lebanon?

U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein’s visit to Lebanon on Tuesday was “less diplomatic” than the previous ones and his remarks carried a stronger warning, al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Al-Joumhouria newspaper for its part said Hochstein stressed the need to “lower the escalation and the tensions in the south pending the results of the negotiations over Gaza,” conveying “several signals that the negotiations will be finalized soon.”

“Hochstein will try through Berri to convince Hezbollah to sway the Hamas Movement into cooperating with the solution plan proposed by the U.S. president for a Gaza ceasefire,” the daily added.

Kuwait’s al-Anbaa newspaper meanwhile quoted “credible” Lebanese official sources as saying that Hochstein carried “serious Israeli threatening messages about expanding the war with Hezbollah and accordingly targeting Lebanon in a bigger manner.”

“The threat is serious, more than ever, and the timeframe is brief,” the sources added.

And in remarks to Kuwait’s al-Jarida newspaper, informed sources said the U.S. envoy carried “clear threatening messages, described by some as the last attempt.”

“The situation is not good, things are no longer bearable and should no quick arrangements be made the situations will deteriorate to a large extent,” the sources quoted Hochstein as saying.

“The Lebanese must be responsive, especially that the Rafah battle is about to end, and that will lead to an escalation in Lebanon that no one will be able to do anything to stop,” the envoy said, according to the sources.

Al-Jadeed television meanwhile said Hochstein met with Lebanese military intelligence chief Tony Qahwaji behind the scenes, telling him that “time is running out and we are before a chance that must be exploited to end the war.”

“Hochstein informed the Lebanese officials of his country’s keenness on preventing the war’s expansion, emphasizing that his country is working on averting an all-out war and expressing his country’s fears that things might deteriorate in the coming period,” a Lebanese official told Al-Jazeera.

“The U.S. envoy underscored his endeavor to explore further choices to prevent an all-out war, as the Lebanese side informed the U.S. envoy of its adherence to Resolution 1701 and the need to de-escalate,” the official added.