US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea conveyed a clear message on behalf of her administration to the Shiite duo, particularly Hezbollah. She stated that “her country and its Western allies have successfully prevented Israel from expanding the scope of the war and opening a front in Lebanon.” The message calls on “officials and political forces to avoid getting dragged into the war and opening the southern front, as there will be no red lines in Lebanon.” This was relayed by an Israeli official who asked that this message be conveyed to Lebanon.
A former security official conveyed the message to the pro-Iranian formation leadership, saying, “the Israeli response will not be limited to the region and to Hezbollah sites, but to official institutions, facilities and military sites, which will be targets of its fire.”
In response, Hezbollah said that it would not initiate any actions and that in the south it is working on countering the Israeli operations within the rules of engagement.
Will Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah heed these recommendations, or will he drag Lebanon once again into a war like he did in 2006 from which the country may never recover?
