The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which is close to Hezbollah, reported this morning (Thursday) that Lebanon is furious with the United States, and particularly with American envoy to the region, Amos Hochstein, whom they accuse of being involved in the major deception that led to the assassination of Fuad Shukur.
Lebanon accuses Hochstein of assuring them that Israel would respond in a way that would not lead to war over the massacre in Majdal Shams, and that actions in Dahieh or Beirut were off-limits. This was found to be untrue during the assassination of Shukur, who was staying in an apartment in Beirut.
In the days leading up to the assassination, Al-Akhbar reported that Western officials, including Amos Hochstein, informed Lebanon that significant diplomatic pressure was being applied on Israel to limit the targets of the attack to be restricted and limited, without harming infrastructure or cities, but only "military facilities." As a result, the diplomats urged Hezbollah to restrain from a strong response to avoid escalation into a full-scale war.
