Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General C.Q. Brown, warned on Sunday that an Israeli invasion of Lebanon against Hezbollah could provoke an Iranian backlash and put US troops in the region at risk.
The remarks underscore the Biden administration’s pressure on the Israeli government not to take action against Hezbollah amid rising tensions in the region over the Israel-Hamas war.
Brown said Iran “would be more inclined to support Hezbollah,” adding that Iran would likely give more support to Lebanese militants than to Hamas, especially if it felt Hezbollah posed a greater threat.
According to the Associated Press, the speaker spoke to reporters during a visit to Botswana for a meeting of African defense ministers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel’s attacks on Gaza were “coming to an end” but warned that war with Hezbollah in Lebanon could be looming amid rising tensions on the border.
The prime minister said he hoped a diplomatic solution to the crisis could be found but vowed to solve the problem “in other ways” if necessary. “We can and are ready to fight on multiple fronts,” he said.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited Washington on Sunday and met with senior Pentagon officials about tensions.
Israeli officials have in recent weeks increasingly warned that a broader conflict with Hezbollah is inevitable, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning earlier this month that “one way or another” Israel would “restore security in the north” amid escalating cross-border shelling.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby stressed Thursday that “dialogue remains ongoing” among regional officials who remain hopeful of a diplomatic solution.
“We still do not want to see a second front opened,” he told reporters. “Obviously, we take the tensions and the rhetoric on both sides very seriously, and we are doing everything in our power to prevent such an outcome.”
U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein and the Biden administration have proposed a diplomatic plan to resolve the deepening crisis, but that is likely only possible after a ceasefire in Gaza is achieved, and it is unclear whether Hezbollah would agree to such a deal. Israel has threatened to enforce the border by force if necessary.
Brad Dress assisted.
