The US and Israel have engaged in discussions concerning the possibility of military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon. US officials are wary of a major Israeli strike on Hezbollah, as they fear it might escalate the conflict and potentially draw the US into a war involving both Israel and Hamas, according to an article published Friday in The New York Times.
Some hardline Israeli government members were keen on confronting Hezbollah, even as Israel was already involved in a protracted conflict with Hamas following attacks on October 7th. The US officials have emphasized to their Israeli counterparts the challenges of fighting both Hamas in the south and the more organized Hezbollah in the north. They were concerned that Israel could find itself fighting on two fronts, which might attract involvement from the United States as well as Iran, which is the main supporter of Hezbollah.
In an effort to dissuade Israel from launching an attack on Hezbollah, American officials have urged Israeli leadership to exercise caution and have sought assistance from Arab counterparts to communicate with Hezbollah, including through their connections in Iran, to prevent the outbreak of war, according to the newspaper.
There is ongoing concern that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might approve a preemptive strike on Hezbollah in response to the attacks by Hamas on October 7th. While these concerns have somewhat subsided, there is still apprehension about potential scenarios: an overreaction by Israel to Hezbollah’s missile attacks and Israel’s aggressive tactics in an expected ground assault on Hamas in Gaza, which might push Hezbollah into the war.
During meetings with Israeli officials, the American delegation has advised Israel not to provide a pretext for Hezbollah to enter the war by taking actions against both Hezbollah in the north and Hamas in the south. These discussions took place during President Biden’s visit to Tel Aviv and earlier negotiations by Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Israel. Both Biden and Blinken expressed their concerns to Israeli leaders, albeit without using explicit language to warn against military provocations, considering the vulnerability Israeli officials felt after the October 7th attacks by Hamas.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has been a strong advocate for a preemptive attack on Hezbollah, arguing that it poses a greater threat compared to Hamas. However, this request has been rejected by other Israeli officials.
