A senior US envoy is set to discuss a fragile ceasefire with Israel and the disarmament of Hezbollah during a visit to Beirut on Monday, as Egypt's intelligence chief is also expected for talks aimed at de-escalating rising tensions on the border. The diplomatic push comes amid growing fears in Lebanon of a potential large-scale Israeli air offensive, particularly after an increase in Israeli strikes on southern and eastern Lebanon in recent days, Lebanese security sources said. US Deputy Envoy for Middle East Peace, Morgan Ortagus, is travelling to Beirut from Tel Aviv. Her visit follows a warning last week from US envoy Tom Barrack that Hezbollah could face a "new confrontation" with Israel if Lebanese authorities do not move quickly to disarm the group, a demand Hezbollah has so far rejected. On Wednesday, Ortagus is scheduled to attend a meeting to review the Lebanese army's efforts to dismantle Hezbollah's weapons caches in the south, in accordance with the 2024 truce agreement, Reuters reported, citing informed sources. Lebanon fears the increased pace of Israeli bombing is a sign that Israel intends to expand its air campaign, having repeatedly breached the ceasefire agreement brokered in November 2024, which was intended to end a year-long war. During her visit to Israel on Sunday, Ortagus, accompanied by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, toured the border areas with Lebanon. Meanwhile, Egypt's ambassador to Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, confirmed that Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad is expected in Beirut on Tuesday for security and political coordination. "What is happening in terms of the development in Israeli attacks, in their scope and frequency, calls on us to be cautious about what is happening," Moussa said after meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the Baabda Palace. He added that Egypt supports President Aoun's position on the exclusivity of arms in the hands of the state and his readiness to enter into negotiations. "Egypt stands by the president's approach completely and clearly and extends a helping hand in this area," Moussa said. Recent escalations Tensions have flared in recent days. On Sunday, Israel said it had killed Ali al-Moussawi in a strike in southern Lebanon, claiming he was a "Hezbollah arms dealer." Lebanese security sources told Reuters that Moussawi was the "most senior Hezbollah official killed by Israel since the ceasefire." The Israeli military has said its ongoing strikes are aimed at "frustrating Hezbollah's attempts to rebuild its military infrastructure in the south," a claim the group strongly denies. In a separate incident on Sunday, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced it had "neutralised" an Israeli drone that was flying over its patrol "in an aggressive manner" in southern Lebanon. UNIFIL said another Israeli drone "approached its forces near Kfar Kila and dropped a grenade." It added that "moments later, an Israeli tank fired a shell towards the peacekeepers. Fortunately, no injuries were reported." The Israeli military said the drone was on a "routine reconnaissance mission" and claimed it "posed no threat."
