Tony Blair to visit Lebanon soon amid fears of Israeli escalation

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will visit Lebanon next week to discuss the latest developments with President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper said.

The daily claimed that the visit comes amid Israeli pressure on the U.S. to stop supporting the Lebanese government that, according to Israel, is not serious in implementing Hezbollah's disarmament plan.

Amid fears of a wider war, that Berri ruled out but Israel and Hezbollah amplified in recent statements, al-Akhbar reported that Israel has decided to escalate its operations in Lebanon.

Israel had warned last week that it could intensify operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah and repeatedly accused the group of trying to rearm. Hezbollah responded that it has a right to defend itself and lashed out against the prospect of any political negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.

Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel meanwhile accused Hezbollah of dragging Lebanon into a new war and called on the authorities to be stricter in disarming the group and starting negotiations with Israel. "It is unacceptable for a subordinate minority to decide the fate of a free majority," he said in a statement Thursday.

President Aoun has repeatedly called for negotiations with Israel to end the occupation and halt the attacks. He chose President of the Middle East Institute in Washington, Paul Salem, among Lebanese representatives that might participate in any upcoming negotiations, al-Akhbar said.