US emissary to mull escalation on border with Israel, prisoner exchange in Beirut

The US State Department's senior adviser for energy security, Amos Hochstein, who is acting as a mediator in negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, will arrive in Beirut in the coming hours, according to the Al Nashra news portal, Report informs referring to TASS.

He noted that the US emissary will be received by Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati. The main focus of the negotiations will be on ending the military escalation on the Lebanese-Israeli border.

According to the Nida al-Watan newspaper, the US emissary will also meet with General Abbas Ibrahim, the former head of Lebanon's General Security Directorate. Ibrahim takes part in secret contacts with the radical Hamas movement in order to free the hostages captured on October 7.

On October 20, Hamas militants released two American women, Judith Raanan and her daughter Natalie.