### U.S. Defense Secretary: Israel-Hezbollah Confrontation Not Inevitable
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated that he does not believe a confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah is inevitable, adding that Washington prefers to resolve issues diplomatically.
Austin made these remarks on Tuesday during a joint press conference in Manila following security talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their Filipino counterparts, Gilberto Teodoro and Enrique Manalo.
Austin said, “If Israel is attacked by Hezbollah, we will defend Israel. But I do not anticipate an impending battle. We prefer a diplomatic solution.” In response to a journalist’s question, Austin reiterated, “As we have stated from the beginning, we will defend Israel if attacked. However, we do not want to see this happen, and we want the dispute to be resolved diplomatically.”
In response to comments made by Israeli officials on Monday, stating that Israel wants to harm Hezbollah but does not want to drag the Middle East into a full-scale war, Austin noted that Lebanon is on high alert for an Israeli response following a missile attack that killed 12 children and teenagers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Two other Israeli officials told Reuters that Israel is preparing for the possibility of fighting lasting a few days following the missile attack on Saturday at a sports field in a Druze village. Israel has accused Hezbollah of carrying out the attack, but Hezbollah denies involvement.
Iranian state media reported that President Masoud Bezhkishan told French President Emmanuel Macron during a phone call on Monday that any Israeli attack on Lebanon would have “severe consequences” for Israel.
Four officials, including a senior defense official and a diplomatic source, spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity and did not provide further details on Israel’s plans for a response. The diplomatic source indicated, “The assessment is that the response will not lead to a full-scale war,” adding, “It would not be in our interest at this stage.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement issued by his office on Monday after visiting Majdal Shams, declared, “The State of Israel will not allow and cannot allow this to go unaddressed. Our response will be forthcoming and severe.”
Both Israel and Hezbollah appear to be striving to avoid a full-scale war since they began exchanging fire in October.
Sources revealed that the United States is leading a diplomatic effort to deter Israel from striking the Lebanese capital Beirut or major civilian infrastructure. The focus of intensive diplomatic efforts is to restrain Israel’s response by urging it not to target Beirut’s densely populated areas, the southern suburbs of the city which are Hezbollah’s stronghold, or critical infrastructure such as airports and bridges.
The attack has heightened fears that the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah could escalate into a broader and more destructive war.
By/radwa sherif ✏️✏️📚