WASHINGTON (AP) A senior Obama administration official says U.S. special Mideast envoy George Mitchell plans to travel to Syria and Lebanon this week.

The visit would follow elections last weekend in Lebanon in which a western-backed coalition defeated Hezbollah and its Iranian- and Syrian-backed allies.

The official said Monday that Mitchell would visit Damascus and Beirut after meetings with Israeli and the Palestinian Authority leaders expected on Tuesday and Wednesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because Mitchell's exact itinerary has not been finalized.

The visits to Syria and Lebanon will be Mitchell's first to the two nations since he took his up his position as U.S. special Mideast envoy.