Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Hezbollah that “no terrorist is immune” as violence escalates on the Lebanese border and the US fears a full-scale war could break out.
Members of Israel's war cabinet and military leaders have warned the Iran-backed terror group that they are prepared for war if diplomatic efforts fail, a situation Washington is desperately trying to avoid.
Earlier this week, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned Israel that the group would quickly respond “on the battlefield” to the killing of Hamas's deputy chief in Beirut. Cross-border fighting has since escalated.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant fueled fears that Israel would launch a possible operation in Lebanon: “We prefer the path of an agreed diplomatic settlement, but we are approaching the point where the hourglass will turn.”
It comes as the WashingtonPost revealed that US officials are concerned that Netanyahu could see expanding the war as a means to maintain his grip on power, amid mounting criticism of his government's inability to prevent the October 7 attack.
An Israeli artillery fires on a target in Lebanon from a secret location on the Lebanon-Israel border. The soldier on the right has a jacket with a graffiti of a target with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah
The head of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah makes a televised speech after the killing of Saleh al-Arouri
The Israeli army has exchanged cross-border fire with Hezbollah since declaring war on Hamas following the October 7 attacks, in which the Lebanese group backed its Palestinian ally.
Hezbollah has stepped up its airstrikes on northern Israel in retaliation for the killing of Hamas deputy political leader Saleh al-Arouri last week in an attack believed to have been carried out by Israel.
Hamas and Hezbollah vowed to avenge the targeted killing and stepped up attacks on Israel in the aftermath.
Although Israeli officials have repeatedly suggested that there is still a possibility of choosing a diplomatic path instead of a costly war with Hezbollah, the US would work around the clock to prevent a war from breaking out.
President Biden is reportedly on the phone “three times a day,” one official said, in part to prevent Israel from launching a campaign against Hezbollah — which they said would result in “all hell breaking loose.”
Saturday's fighting, which saw Hezbollah launch dozens of missiles from Lebanon, was described by Iran's proxy as a “first response.”
“Hezbollah is dragging Lebanon into an unnecessary war for the sake of Hamas,” IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a statement on Sunday.
A man stands amid the rubble of destroyed buildings after attacks on the town of Naqura in southern Lebanon
People inspect the rubble of destroyed buildings after attacks on the town of Naqura in southern Lebanon
Areas in southern Lebanon have been devastated after weeks of Israel launching rockets in the battle against Hezbollah
“Israel has responded strongly and will continue to respond strongly to Hezbollah's aggression.
“Hezbollah is seeking an escalation despite the unwanted disruption it could cause to the people of Lebanon, in addition to the suffering it causes to the people of southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah “endangers the future of the region, all in the interest of Hamas,” the Israeli military spokesman continued.
“We have a duty to defend our people, if not by diplomatic means, then by force of arms. The diplomatic window may be short, but it is still open.”
In an apparent reference to the killing of al-Arouri in Beirut, Netanyahu warned on Sunday: “I propose that Hezbollah learns what Hamas has already learned in recent months: no terrorist is immune.
“We are determined to protect our citizens and return the residents of the North safely to their homes.
“This is a national goal we all share and we act responsibly to achieve it. If we can, we will do so through diplomatic means, and if not, we will act in other ways.”
Hezbollah has been reluctant to commit any meaningful numbers of troops and missiles to fight Israel, but the group's involvement has increased in recent days.
There are fears that starting a war on the Northern Front and in Gaza would force the IDF to split their resources, meaning the already overstretched forces would be spread thin.
Regardless, War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz has said that the situation in which the citizens of northern Israel cannot return to their homes “requires an urgent solution.”
“Israel is interested in a diplomatic solution, but if one cannot be found, Israel and the IDF will remove the threat,” he said, echoing Gallant's sentiments. 'All members of the War Cabinet share this opinion.'
The escalation of cross-border fighting has put pressure on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is due to visit Israel on Monday.
“The only consideration here is Israel's security, and nothing else. That is our duty to our country and our citizens,” he added.
The escalation of cross-border fighting has put pressure on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is due to visit Israel on Monday.
He will discuss specific steps to “prevent escalation” in the ongoing conflict, his spokesman Matthew Miller said as he began his trip to the Middle East.
“It is in no one's interest – not Israel's, not the region's, not the world's – for this conflict to spread beyond Gaza,” Miller said.
Biden administration officials, including Blinken, have repeatedly urged Israel to scale back its blistering air and ground offensive in Gaza and shift to more targeted attacks on Hamas leaders to avoid harm to Palestinian civilians.