A US envoy is in Israel to try to contain the growing conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah on Israel's northern border.
Diplomat Amos Hochstein arrived in Israel on Monday for mediation talks, a spokeswoman for the US embassy confirmed. Hochstein has been trying to find a diplomatic solution between Israel and Hezbollah for months. According to media reports, he also plans to travel to Lebanon for talks.
Hochstein is reportedly due to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant during his visit.
Since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip more than eight months ago, there have been daily military confrontations between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, with deaths on both sides.
About 150,000 people have been evacuated or have left the combat zone.
In the most recent exchanges, Hezbollah responded to the killing of one of its commanders by Israel with dozens of rockets. Since the start of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha on Sunday, however, the attacks have decreased significantly.
Hezbollah is allied with the Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but is considered to be much more powerful.
