The administration of US President Joe Biden is increasingly concerned that tensions in northern Israel could escalate to the level of a war and is warning Israel to avoid actions that could provoke such an outcome.
This was reported by the Haaretz news portal.
U.S. officials fear that the stalemate in negotiations with Hamas militants over hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza will push Israel to launch a broad military operation against Hezbollah militants, who continue to launch dozens of rockets and drone strikes daily at Israeli communities in the north of the country.
The Biden administration remains willing to help Israel in the event of war, but warns Israel against escalating cross-border attacks that could lead to war. Washington has also expressed concern about senior Israeli officials’ insistence on military action against Lebanon.
In recent days, U.S. officials have expressed fears that a full-scale war against Hezbollah terrorists could cause serious damage to Israel’s home front. They are also concerned about possible intervention by Iran, its affiliated militant groups and other Middle Eastern countries, including the Houthis in Yemen.
“Israel continues to fight in Gaza, there are dozens of hostages who need to be brought home alive, and at the same time we see the security situation in the West Bank deteriorating. But we must take into account the broader consequences of a full-scale war. Let us consider how this will affect the hostage problem in Gaza and the situation in the West Bank. We cannot make such an important decision without taking into account all considerations,” the US official stressed.
U.S. officials also say that to avoid a full-scale war on the northern front, it remains extremely important to conclude an agreement on the release of hostages and a cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip.
Kursor previously wrote that the terrorist organization Hezbollah has created a complex network of tunnels supported by Iran and North Korea. The network, which stretches for 160 kilometers, plays a key role in the group’s military infrastructure and is considered larger and more complex than Hamas’ tunnel system in the Gaza Strip.
In the event of a conflict in the north, this infrastructure will become the main threat to Israel.
