Live updates: Israel on ‘high alert’ for Iran response, source says

U.S. officials remain doubtful that a final diplomatic push in the Middle East this week will result in a pause in fighting in Gaza ahead of Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election, according to people familiar with the thinking, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waits to see , who the next American president will be.

Hopes for progress in ending fighting in Lebanon are slightly higher, with the country’s prime minister expressing optimism on Thursday that a deal to end cross-border violence between Israel and Hezbollah could be in its final stages.

Any progress in lowering temperatures in the region will be seen as a victory in the White House. Still, the sense that Netanyahu is waiting out the US campaign season – a long-held view in the Biden administration – remains strong as top envoys travel to the region to discuss prospects for ending the violence.

CIA Director Bill Burns was in Cairo on Thursday to discuss Gaza and Lebanon, including a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

At the same time, US envoy Amos Hochstein and White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk are in Israel for talks on hostage and ceasefire issues, along with a discussion on Iran, all centered on the US policy of “de-escalation supported by deterrence”. .

Hopes of reaching a deal to end fighting across the border between Israel and Lebanon have been boosted by progress in talks over the past few days, and Hochstein was expected to continue talks this week.

Read more about the diplomatic push.