Hochstein to meet Netanyahu in bid to end Lebanon war

U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, seeking to broker a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war, will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, the premier's office said.

The announcement by spokesman Omer Dostri came after Israeli media outlets reported that Hochstein had arrived in Israel on Wednesday evening and held talks with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation described the Hochstein-Dermer talks as "constructive."

The meeting between Hochstein and Netanyahu was scheduled to take place at 12:30 pm (1030 GMT), according to a statement from the Israeli leader's Likud party.

In Beirut on Wednesday, the U.S. envoy met twice with Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who has led mediation efforts on behalf of Hezbollah.

Wednesday's meeting "made additional progress, so I will travel from here in a couple hours to Israel to try to bring this to a close if we can", Hochstein told reporters in the Lebanese capital.

Hochstein had said on Tuesday that an end to the war was "within our grasp".

Ahead of his arrival, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said: "In any agreement we will reach, we will need to keep the freedom to act if there will be violations."