US has warned the Netanyahu government that carrying out what it described as a ‘limited war’ in Lebanon would have grave consequences for Israel, including dragging Iran’s direct involvement.
According to the Israeli media, the United States has warned against the scenario that Israel has shown interest in during recent days, that is, a limited attack on Lebanon to fight Hezbollah. In a statement issued by the White House this Saturday, US officials said that if Israel implements such a scenario, Lebanon will end up filled with pro-Iranian militia groups from Syria, Iraq and even Yemen.
White House officials have told their counterparts in Tel Aviv that the United States believes a “limited war” in Lebanon or a “small regional war” are not realistic options, as it would be difficult to prevent them from spreading in all across the region. The Biden administration have also warned Israel that a “limited war” in Lebanon could force Iran to intervene directly and create a living hell for Israel in Israel.
The exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, which has continued since October 7, has increased sharply in the last two weeks, and this has made the senior officials of the Israeli army and the cabinet to want to expand the battle against Hezbollah, bringing up he idea of ‘limited war’ in Lebanon to fight Hezbollah.
The United States and France have tried in recent days to find a diplomatic solution to reduce tensions between the two sides, but have not made progress yet. This Friday, the Biden administration announced that it will be impossible to restore peace to the Israeli-Lebanon border without reaching a ceasefire in Gaza.
Israel confused about war results!
Although Israel seems quite determined to carry out the limited war in Lebanon, there is a huge divergence of opinion on the results of the war among Israeli officials. A senior Israeli security official said this Saturday that tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have escalated since May because Hezbollah was able to use drones to carry out successful attacks against Israeli targets that the Israeli army was unable to intercept.
He also said that no decision was made at a war cabinet meeting last Tuesday, but the Israeli military presented several options for expanding the war, including a ground offensive aimed at driving Hezbollah forces away from the northern borders. The Israeli official, however, went on to say that a war with Hezbollah or a limited operation in Lebanon would have “huge consequences for Israel.”
Similarly, Eran Etzion, who served as deputy head of Israel’s National Security Council during the last major Israel-Lebanon war in 2006, told Newsweek this Saturday that “from my point of view, what the Israeli authorities consider a limited war will be a war that Israel will lose in the first 24 hours because the extent of the damage and destruction for Israel will be so great and extensive that none of us have ever seen before.”
But some other senior Israeli military officials have a different opinion. For example, Major General Ori Gordin, head of the Northern Command of the Israel Defense Forces, said on Thursday that the army is ready to expand its conflict with Hezbollah if necessary to end months of deadly border clashes with Hezbollah. He also said that the Israeli army has finalized the necessary preparations for the campaign against Hezbollah since last week and the forces are undergoing final training for the battle. “We are fully prepared and when we are ordered, we will enter the war with a strong and ready army,” he also asserted.
