Syria war to have ‘massive’ effect on Lebanon: US envoy Hochstein
Al Jazeera
The US diplomat said a weakened Syrian government will make it difficult for Iran to transfer weapons to Hezbollah.
Doha, Qatar – The weakening of Syria’s government with the recent gains made by the opposition forces is going to have “massive implications” in neighbouring Lebanon, according to US envoy Amos Hochstein.
Speaking at the Doha Forum on Saturday, the diplomat said Iran would find it difficult to transfer weapons to the Lebanese armed group, Hezbollah.
A rebel alliance led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched its lightning offensive against Bashar al-Assad’s government on November 27 – a day after the ceasefire Hochstein helped broker between Israel and Hezbollah took hold.
The Syrian government has faced unprecedented strategic losses since then – losing four cities in a swift time span.
“I think what’s happened in Syria, which of course, happened the day after the ceasefire started, is now creating a new weakness for Hezbollah,” Hochstein said at the forum in Qatar’s capital bringing together world leaders, senior diplomats, and experts in international relations.
