The prime minister's special envoy is tonight scrambling to salvage a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Sources close to the talks say the deal is hanging by a thread. The envoy, a former Foreign Office mandarin with deep Middle East contacts, has been shuttling between Beirut and Tel Aviv for 48 hours.
Downing Street is nervous. They know a collapse would be a catastrophic blow to British diplomatic credibility. The ceasefire, agreed in principle last week, has been undermined by a series of alleged violations.
Hezbollah claims Israeli drones are still overflying Lebanese airspace. Israel counters that Hezbollah fighters are moving heavy weapons near the border. Both sides are playing a dangerous game of brinkmanship.
The envoy's strategy is to de-escalate the rhetoric and lock in a written framework for compliance. But the devil is in the detail. The UK has invested considerable political capital in this process.
The foreign secretary is personally briefed hourly. A senior Whitehall source told me: 'If this goes wrong, it’s not just a setback. It’s a humiliation.
' The looming shadow of Iran makes every move fraught. Meanwhile, the opposition is circling. Shadow foreign office ministers are demanding a Commons statement.
They smell blood. The clock is ticking. The envoy faces a long night.
We'll bring you more as it breaks.
