The US warned of a scenario in which Lebanon would be flooded with terrorists from pro-Iranian militias coming from Syria, Iraq, and even Yemen.
The Biden administration advised Israel in recent weeks against the idea that a "limited war" could be waged in Lebanon and warned that such a move could push Iran to intervene - this is what two senior American officials and an Israeli official briefed on the talks told Walla.
Why it's important:
- The exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, which has been going on since October 7, has escalated dramatically in the last two weeks, which has caused senior officials in the IDF and the cabinet to call for a significant expansion of the fighting against Hezbollah.
- Senior American and Israeli officials said that the IDF and the Defense Ministry are increasingly concerned that the situation in Lebanon is reaching a turning point. The US and France have tried to find a diplomatic solution to reduce tensions on the border but have not yet made progress.
- Preventing an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah that could lead to widespread destruction in Lebanon and Israel was a central goal of the Biden administration in its efforts to prevent the fighting in Gaza from expanding into a much wider regional conflict.
- The Biden administration believes that it will be impossible to restore peace to the Israel-Lebanon border without a cease-fire in Gaza. READ MORE
