Washington fears an increase in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, in a way that will provoke Hezbollah and push it to escalate its attacks within the framework of the existing confrontations, which may create an excuse for Israel to expand the scope of its war on the Gaza Strip to include the Lebanese front, and enter into a comprehensive confrontation with Hezbollah.

The White House fears provocative Israeli attacks in Lebanon that might push Hezbollah to escalate its border operations, which might create pretexts for Israel to justify increasing its military operations in Lebanon and expanding the scope of the war Israel is waging against the besieged Gaza Strip, which would drag Washington into the heart of the conflict in Region.

This came according to what the Israeli “Walla” website reported in a report on Sunday evening, citing three sources familiar with the talks between Tel Aviv and Washington in this regard. The report pointed to the telephone conversation between US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, and his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, on Saturday evening, and said that it focused on this matter.

According to Walla, Austin, during a call with Gallant, expressed Washington’s concern about “the escalation of fighting on the northern border,” and pointed to fears that the escalation of confrontations between Hezbollah and the Israeli army may lead to the opening of another front in the war, and the report stated. Austin called on Gallant to avoid steps that might lead to an all-out war with Hezbollah.

The report stated that the message conveyed by Austin “reflects growing concern in the White House about what the Biden administration sees as increased military operations by the Israeli army in Lebanon that have exacerbated tensions along the border,” with the escalation of border confrontations that led to the killing of 10 Israelis, most of them soldiers, And dozens of Lebanese, most of whom are Hezbollah fighters.

The report said, “The administration of President Joe Biden is concerned that the attacks carried out by the Israeli army in Lebanon are aimed at provoking Hezbollah and creating a pretext for a broader Israeli military operation in Lebanon, which may drag the United States deeper into the crisis” in the region, which he denied. Officials in Tel Aviv.

According to Walla, senior military and political officials in Israel have informed their American counterparts on more than one occasion since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip that “Israeli citizens will not agree to return to the settlements (in the border area with Lebanon) as long as the Hezbollah threat remains present.” The other side of the border."

The report indicated that the Israeli authorities evacuated tens of thousands of civilians from towns and settlements located in the border region, south of Lebanon, for fear of a Hezbollah attack, similar to the Hamas attack on Israeli military sites and settlements in the vicinity of the Gaza Strip on October 7 last year.

Direct American messages

Walla stated that the Biden administration has exerted pressure on the Lebanese government and actors in the region, in recent weeks, to do everything in its power to prevent Hezbollah from joining the war with its full military strength. The report said that the unannounced visit of the US Special Envoy, Amos Hockstein, to the Lebanese capital, Beirut, last week, came in this context.

According to the report, Hockstein conveyed messages to Hezbollah through the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, in addition to other high-ranking Lebanese officials, in which he warned Hezbollah against escalating the situation in the region. Walla quoted two informed sources as saying that the picture formed by the American envoy was that Hezbollah and the other parties in Lebanon were not interested in a comprehensive war with Israel.

The report explained that Austin’s messages to Gallant regarding the escalation of Israeli attacks in Lebanon came at the behest of the White House, and in a statement published by the Pentagon about the conversation, it said that Austin stressed to Gallant the necessity of “containing the conflict in the Gaza Strip only and avoiding regional escalation,” without explicitly mentioning Lebanon. .

The website quoted two Israeli and American sources as saying that Austin “was very direct in his conversation with Gallant and specifically mentioned US concerns about the activities of the Israeli army in Lebanon.” An Israeli source said that Austin asked Gallant for clarifications regarding the strikes carried out by the Israeli army in Lebanon in recent days.

The report stressed that "Austin asked Israel to refrain from taking steps that might lead to an all-out war with Hezbollah." The Israeli source said that Gallant informed Austin that Israeli policy would not lead to the opening of a second front in Lebanon, and stressed that he did not believe that such a scenario would come true.

Gallant said during the conversation with Austin, “It was Hezbollah that escalated the fighting by launching drones at Israel, including the plane that was launched from Syria to Eilat.” The Israeli source quoted Gallant as saying during the call with Austin, “Hezbollah is playing... "By fire."

Two events created tension in the White House

The report stressed that the Biden administration’s anxiety had increased as a result of two events that occurred in recent days, and it considered that they could have pushed Hezbollah into a broad confrontation with Israel. The first: Israel’s targeting of a civilian vehicle in southern Lebanon led to the martyrdom of a grandmother and her three granddaughters.

Report: American fears of Israeli efforts to create a pretext to expand the war on the Lebanon front

Washington fears an increase in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, in a way that will provoke Hezbollah and push it to escalate its attacks within the framework of the existing confrontations, which may create an excuse for Israel to expand the scope of its war on the Gaza Strip to include the Lebanese front, and enter into a comprehensive confrontation with Hezbollah.

The White House fears provocative Israeli attacks in Lebanon that might push Hezbollah to escalate its border operations, which might create pretexts for Israel to justify increasing its military operations in Lebanon and expanding the scope of the war Israel is waging against the besieged Gaza Strip, which would drag Washington into the heart of the conflict in Region.

This came according to what the Israeli “Walla” website reported in a report on Sunday evening, citing three sources familiar with the talks between Tel Aviv and Washington in this regard. The report pointed to the telephone conversation between US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, and his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, on Saturday evening, and said that it focused on this matter.

According to Walla, Austin, during a call with Gallant, expressed Washington’s concern about “the escalation of fighting on the northern border,” and pointed to fears that the escalation of confrontations between Hezbollah and the Israeli army may lead to the opening of another front in the war, and the report stated. Austin called on Gallant to avoid steps that might lead to an all-out war with Hezbollah.

The report stated that the message conveyed by Austin “reflects growing concern in the White House about what the Biden administration sees as increased military operations by the Israeli army in Lebanon that have exacerbated tensions along the border,” with the escalation of border confrontations that led to the killing of 10 Israelis, most of them soldiers, And dozens of Lebanese, most of whom are Hezbollah fighters.

The report said, “The administration of President Joe Biden is concerned that the attacks carried out by the Israeli army in Lebanon are aimed at provoking Hezbollah and creating a pretext for a broader Israeli military operation in Lebanon, which may drag the United States deeper into the crisis” in the region, which he denied. Officials in Tel Aviv.

According to Walla, senior military and political officials in Israel have informed their American counterparts on more than one occasion since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip that “Israeli citizens will not agree to return to the settlements (in the border area with Lebanon) as long as the Hezbollah threat remains present.” The other side of the border."

The report indicated that the Israeli authorities evacuated tens of thousands of civilians from towns and settlements located in the border region, south of Lebanon, for fear of a Hezbollah attack, similar to the Hamas attack on Israeli military sites and settlements in the vicinity of the Gaza Strip on October 7 last year.

Direct American messages

Walla stated that the Biden administration has exerted pressure on the Lebanese government and actors in the region, in recent weeks, to do everything in its power to prevent Hezbollah from joining the war with its full military strength. The report said that the unannounced visit of the US Special Envoy, Amos Hockstein, to the Lebanese capital, Beirut, last week, came in this context.

According to the report, Hockstein conveyed messages to Hezbollah through the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, in addition to other high-ranking Lebanese officials, in which he warned Hezbollah against escalating the situation in the region. Walla quoted two informed sources as saying that the picture formed by the American envoy was that Hezbollah and the other parties in Lebanon were not interested in a comprehensive war with Israel.

The report explained that Austin’s messages to Gallant regarding the escalation of Israeli attacks in Lebanon came at the behest of the White House, and in a statement published by the Pentagon about the conversation, it said that Austin stressed to Gallant the necessity of “containing the conflict in the Gaza Strip only and avoiding regional escalation,” without explicitly mentioning Lebanon. .

The website quoted two Israeli and American sources as saying that Austin “was very direct in his conversation with Gallant and specifically mentioned US concerns about the activities of the Israeli army in Lebanon.” An Israeli source said that Austin asked Gallant for clarifications regarding the strikes carried out by the Israeli army in Lebanon in recent days.

The report stressed that "Austin asked Israel to refrain from taking steps that might lead to an all-out war with Hezbollah." The Israeli source said that Gallant informed Austin that Israeli policy would not lead to the opening of a second front in Lebanon, and stressed that he did not believe that such a scenario would come true.

Gallant said during the conversation with Austin, “It was Hezbollah that escalated the fighting by launching drones at Israel, including the plane that was launched from Syria to Eilat.” The Israeli source quoted Gallant as saying during the call with Austin, “Hezbollah is playing By fire."

Two events created tension in the White House

The report stressed that the Biden administration’s anxiety had increased as a result of two events that occurred in recent days, and it considered that they could have pushed Hezbollah into a broad confrontation with Israel. The first: Israel’s targeting of a civilian vehicle in southern Lebanon led to the martyrdom of a grandmother and her three granddaughters.