US Warns ‘Limited’ Israeli-Lebanon Conflict Could Draw Iran - Report

Smoke rises from Dhayra village following Israeli shelling, captured from the Lebanese town of Marwahin, near the border with Israel
Smoke rises from Dhayra village following Israeli shelling, captured from the Lebanese town of Marwahin, near the border with Israel

The US has issued warnings to Israel against the pursuit of a "limited war" scenario in Lebanon, citing concerns that such actions could provoke Iran to intervene, Axios reported on Thursday.

The ongoing exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, which intensified since the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas, has notably escalated in the past two weeks.

According to the report, this has led some people within the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli Cabinet to advocate for a significant expansion of military action against Hezbollah.

US officials cautioned Israel that a "limited war" or "small regional war" in Lebanon isn't feasible as it could rapidly escalate beyond control. They further warned against a ground invasion, even in border areas, as it might provoke Iranian intervention, with a potential influx of militants from pro-Iranian militias from Syria, Iraq, and Yemen joining the conflict.

Iran-backed Hezbollah presents the greatest threat to Israel from a military perspective, according to Israeli security experts.

On Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller reiterated the US's profound concern regarding the risk of escalation along the Israel-Lebanon border.

“We do remain incredibly concerned about the risk of isolation along the Israel-Lebanon border. It’s something we’ve been concerned about since the immediate aftermath of October 7th, and we have been engaged in intense diplomatic conversations and intense diplomatic negotiations to try to avoid that conflict from escalating beyond control,” Miller said at the State Department press briefing.

A bloody, high-intensity war between Israel and Hezbollah last occurred in 2006 following the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah. The UN Security Council imposed Resolution 1701 on Lebanon to end the conflict, mandating that Hezbollah disarm. The UNSC or Lebanon did not enforce this resolution.