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Israel Hopes for Diplomatic Solution to Lebanon-Israel Tensions

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State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated on the 25th that Israel hopes to resolve the tensions with Hezbollah in Lebanon through diplomatic means. According to reports, U.S. officials have issued an unusual warning: Hezbollah also needs to understand that they should not expect the United States to act as a brake on Israeli officials’ decision-making process.

French media reported that Miller said Blinken and Gallant held a two-hour meeting at the State Department, during which Blinken discussed diplomatic efforts surrounding an agreement aimed at “ensuring the release of all hostages and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people.” In a statement, Miller noted that Blinken also “highlighted the importance of avoiding further escalation of the conflict and achieving a diplomatic solution that allows Israeli and Lebanese families to return to their homes.”

Politico News reported on the 24th that, to pressure Hezbollah into making concessions, U.S. officials issued an unusual warning: Hezbollah should not expect the U.S. to be able to stop Israel from launching an attack on Lebanon.

The report, citing sources, stated that the purpose of this warning was to prompt Hezbollah to back down and to mitigate the brewing crisis in the Lebanon-Israel border area. Meanwhile, many U.S. officials seem to have accepted that Israel might take significant military action against Lebanon in the coming weeks.

Two U.S. officials said that Hezbollah needs to understand that if it retaliates against Israel, the U.S. will assist in Israel’s defense. They stressed that Hezbollah should not expect the U.S. to act as a brake on Israeli officials’ decision-making process. The sources mentioned that this message was conveyed indirectly, as the U.S. would not engage in direct one-on-one contact with Hezbollah.

The report noted that since the outbreak of the current Israel-Palestine conflict, Hezbollah, which supports Hamas, has been engaging in almost daily skirmishes with Israeli forces, although the Lebanon-Israel conflict has remained at a low level. In recent weeks, as the intensity of Israel’s military operations in Gaza has decreased, the conflict directed towards Lebanon has escalated to new heights. U.S. officials are concerned that a full-scale Lebanon-Israel conflict could plunge the region into widespread war.

The report mentioned that Israeli Defense Minister Gallant is in Washington meeting with aides to President Joe Biden. According to the two U.S. officials, regardless of how the Lebanon-Israel conflict evolves, the Biden administration will support Israel’s defense, from providing ammunition for the Iron Dome defense system to intelligence support, and potentially more direct military assistance.

Another senior U.S. official stated that the U.S. intelligence community believes that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah does not want to start a war, but the risk of war breaking out this month has increased, along with the risk of misjudgment by both sides.

Israel Announces Imminent Agreement to Resolve Conflict with Hezbollah

Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi stated on the 25th that Israel will work to de-escalate the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon over the coming weeks, and is inclined towards a diplomatic solution to resolve the tensions.

Airstrike

Reuters reported that Hanegbi said Israel has been discussing with U.S. officials the possibility that the timely conclusion of intense operations in Gaza might enable Israel to reach an “agreement” with Hezbollah.

On the 25th, at a conference, Hanegbi said, “We will now spend several weeks striving to reach an agreement. If an agreement cannot be achieved through diplomatic means, then everyone understands that other means must be used to reach an agreement. Currently, we are inclined to focus on diplomatic actions.” He mentioned that Israel is in discussions with Washington about the possibility of the U.S., Europe, and some Arab countries jointly seeking alternative arrangements to Hamas’s rule in the Gaza Strip.

China’s CCTV News client reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement on the 25th, stating that earlier that day, Israeli aircraft carried out airstrikes on multiple Hezbollah military targets in the Khiam and Odaisseh areas of southern Lebanon. Additionally, the IDF’s air defense system successfully intercepted two suspicious aerial targets that entered northern Israel from southern Lebanon, causing no casualties.

On the same day, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati held talks in Beirut with visiting German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Mikati emphasized that the prerequisite for restoring peace in southern Lebanon is for Israel to cease its conflict actions and implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.

Baerbock stated that the situation along the “Blue Line” (the temporary border between Lebanon and Israel) is risky, and all parties must cooperate to prevent further escalation and facilitate a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which would help achieve a ceasefire in southern Lebanon.

Xinhua News Agency reported that on the 24th, senior Lebanese government officials invited some diplomats and media journalists to Beirut International Airport to watch an on-site investigation, denying the British Telegraph’s report that Hezbollah was “hiding” weapons at this civilian airport.

Representatives from the diplomatic missions of Egypt, Germany, and the European Union in Lebanon, as well as journalists from several media outlets, observed the airport’s warehouse facilities. High-level officials from Lebanon’s transportation, foreign affairs, tourism, and information ministries were present. Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Alaa Moussa watched the on-site investigation. He stated that investigating whether the airport “hides” contraband is not within the diplomats’ duties, but this visit “is to express support (for Lebanon)” and “send a signal to all parties to maintain calm.”

Beirut International Airport Manager Fadi Hassan stated that all planes arriving at the airport, including Iranian planes, “must comply with the same customs procedures.”

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