The Biden administration has warned Israel that a "limited war" in Lebanon could push Iran to intervene, reports Axios.
President Joe Biden hopes to avoid further regional conflagration, that may escalate towards direct conflict between Iran and Israel, Axios said on Thursday.
Iran and Israel traded direct strikes in April, in an unprecedented escalation that brought the region to the brink of war.
According to Axios, the US warned Israel that Lebanon could be flooded with pro-Iranian fighters from Syria, Iraq and Yemen, who are keen for the chance to confront Israel directly.
The Biden administration also reportedly warned Israel that even a limited ground incursion would likely push Iran to intervene.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, visiting the northern border after eight months of war, warned Wednesday that Israel was "prepared for a very intense operation."
Daily exchanges of artillery fire between Hezbollah and Israel have intensified in recent days as Israel wages war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Recently, massive forest fires, caused by fighting, spread on both sides of the border, with Netanyahu facing growing criticism domestically as the scale of destruction intensifies.
This led Netanyahu to call an emergency war cabinet meeting on Tuesday, to discuss the situation.
No decisions were made in the meeting, but the military presented several options for expanding the fighting.
According to Axios, there is growing concern in the Israeli military that the fighting on the Lebanese border is reaching a turning point that may necessitate military force.
A senior Israeli military official told Axios, that Hezbollah has begun using more sophisticated drone and missile attacks against Israeli targets, that weren't intercepted, causing significant damage to Israeli bases.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called Thursday for an end to hostilities along the demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel, warning of the risk of a broader conflict.
"As the exchanges of fire across the Blue Line continue, the Secretary-General renews his calls to the parties to urgently cease fire," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement, referring to the demarcation line between Israel and Lebanon.
"These exchanges of fire could trigger a broader conflict with devastating consequences for the region," he added.
With AFP
President Joe Biden hopes to avoid further regional conflagration, that may escalate towards direct conflict between Iran and Israel, Axios said on Thursday.
Iran and Israel traded direct strikes in April, in an unprecedented escalation that brought the region to the brink of war.
According to Axios, the US warned Israel that Lebanon could be flooded with pro-Iranian fighters from Syria, Iraq and Yemen, who are keen for the chance to confront Israel directly.
The Biden administration also reportedly warned Israel that even a limited ground incursion would likely push Iran to intervene.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, visiting the northern border after eight months of war, warned Wednesday that Israel was "prepared for a very intense operation."
Daily exchanges of artillery fire between Hezbollah and Israel have intensified in recent days as Israel wages war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Recently, massive forest fires, caused by fighting, spread on both sides of the border, with Netanyahu facing growing criticism domestically as the scale of destruction intensifies.
This led Netanyahu to call an emergency war cabinet meeting on Tuesday, to discuss the situation.
No decisions were made in the meeting, but the military presented several options for expanding the fighting.
According to Axios, there is growing concern in the Israeli military that the fighting on the Lebanese border is reaching a turning point that may necessitate military force.
A senior Israeli military official told Axios, that Hezbollah has begun using more sophisticated drone and missile attacks against Israeli targets, that weren't intercepted, causing significant damage to Israeli bases.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called Thursday for an end to hostilities along the demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel, warning of the risk of a broader conflict.
"As the exchanges of fire across the Blue Line continue, the Secretary-General renews his calls to the parties to urgently cease fire," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement, referring to the demarcation line between Israel and Lebanon.
"These exchanges of fire could trigger a broader conflict with devastating consequences for the region," he added.
With AFP
This Is Beirut
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