Secret Mission in Beirut; Will Hochstein’s Trips Prevent War?

The recent visit of "Amos Hochstein," the security energy advisor to the President of the United States, to Lebanon has prompted inquiries into America's role amidst the tensions between Lebanon and Israel. According to the Arabic newspaper, Al-Akhbar, Hochstein's return to Beirut signifies a fresh attempt to establish a diplomatic framework aimed at preventing an escalation of tensions between Lebanon and the occupying regime. Is America genuinely striving to alleviate tensions in Lebanon? While some Western and Washington-centric media outlets portray the reduction of tensions in Lebanon as the primary goal of Biden's representative’s visit to Beirut, a closer examination reveals broader objectives underlying America's engagement in Lebanon, coinciding with the Gaza conflict.

The inevitable downfall of Biden in the event of a new war

Many analysts are concerned that Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister, and his administration, facing significant criticism both domestically and internationally due to the Gaza conflict, might exploit a potential war in Lebanon to divert attention from their internal challenges and dwindling popularity at home. The outbreak of a conflict in Lebanon would likely escalate into a wider regional confrontation with dire consequences. Tel Aviv's rhetoric has grown increasingly hostile in recent weeks, with Netanyahu and his senior officials issuing repeated threats against Hezbollah. However, a broader regional conflict is not in Washington's interests, especially with the United States on the verge of presidential elections. Given the current circumstances, Washington cannot afford to engage in a new regional war. Hence, America's primary objective in the region is to prevent the escalation of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. It appears that any new war in the region would significantly impact Biden's prospects in the forthcoming presidential elections.

The Covert War of America in Lebanon

Despite the United States' claims of working to prevent a full-scale war on the Lebanon-Israel border, the truth reveals a prolonged conflict between America and the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance group. Hezbollah constitutes a significant part of Lebanon's political landscape, functioning as a political entity within the nation. According to The National Interest, the United States has invested billions of dollars in security aid to Lebanon over the years to combat terrorism associated with Hezbollah. The US has labeled Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and has spared no efforts to undermine its influence in Lebanon.

President Joe Biden highlighted the presence of nearly 89 US military personnel stationed in Lebanon in a letter to Congress last summer. He indicated that their mission is to disrupt and weaken Hezbollah's capabilities and operations. Katherine Yon Ebright, a consultant at the Brennan Center's Freedom and National Security Program, affirmed America's secret operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah. She emphasized the significance of this covert war and noted that it operates under congressional oversight.

The Historical Interventions of Washington in Beirut

The involvement of the United States military in Lebanon's internal conflicts has a lengthy and notable history. In 1958, US Marines intervened to quell unrest in Lebanon, which led to the presence of these soldiers becoming a subject of contention in Lebanon for years. The culmination of this presence occurred in 1983 with the bombing of the US embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut, resulting in the loss of at least 300 American lives. Additionally, since 1970, more than 6,000 members of the Lebanese Army have received training in the United States, with some returning to join armed paramilitary groups that oppose Hezbollah.

Moreover, the United States has undertaken various efforts to hinder the formation of Hezbollah-aligned governments in Beirut by directly intervening in Lebanon's political landscape, although without success. In December 2018, meetings between select American officials and Lebanese authorities, coupled with the revelation of dubious emails concerning Lebanon, underscored intense American involvement in Lebanese affairs. The objective was to prevent the presence of resistance forces in future governments. Lebanese government sources, speaking to Al Mayadeen network, disclosed that David Hill, the Deputy Foreign Minister of the United States, engaged in political interference and impeded the active involvement of allied resistance groups, though Washington's aims were not realized at that juncture. These interventions persist today, with America's representative ostensibly entering Lebanon under the guise of peacekeeping, while the covert conflict between the United States and Lebanon persists.