U.S. officials have revealed that Washington has halted its attempts to de-escalate the growing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which threatens to turn into a full-scale regional war.
The comments from U.S. officials come after Israel ignored a proposal backed by the U.S. and other Western and Arab powers for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Despite the escalation, the United States is no longer trying to revive the proposal and has stopped its efforts to limit Israeli operations in Lebanon and against Iran.
Officials in President Biden’s administration have expressed concern that what Israel initially described as a limited operation in Lebanon may soon expand into a prolonged, wider conflict.
The 21-day ceasefire proposal followed the same path as the failed negotiations to end the Gaza war, which the U.S. mediated alongside Egypt and Qatar, but ultimately resulted in no resolution.
Israel’s intense airstrikes on Lebanon, especially in Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs, have resulted in over 1,400 deaths in under three weeks and forced at least one million Lebanese to flee.
The U.S. inability to halt Israel’s aggressive campaign and ground invasion of Lebanon reinforces the notion that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is disregarding Biden’s calls for restraint, just as it did in Gaza.
According to U.S. officials who spoke to CNN, Israel initially planned for a much larger ground incursion into Lebanon before the U.S. convinced it to scale down its operations. However, the officials emphasized that the United States’ influence over Israel’s military decisions remains limited, as seen during the Gaza war.
A senior U.S. official, who requested anonymity to describe discussions with Israel, said: “We couldn’t stop them from taking action, but we can at least try to shape how that action unfolds.”
On Monday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that the U.S. supports Israel’s targeting of militants and the destruction of Hezbollah’s infrastructure. However, he cautioned, “We’re fully aware of the numerous instances in the past where Israel has engaged in what seemed like limited operations, only to stay for months or even years. This is not the outcome we want to see.”
Officials who spoke to CNN acknowledged that the U.S. has limited influence over what Israel decides to do against Iran in response to last week’s missile attack by the latter.
They warned that while Israel may view its actions as proportionate, the rest of the world, including the U.S., may see them as excessive. Last week, President Biden said he would not support Israel striking Iran’s nuclear facilities, but it remains unclear if the U.S. has succeeded in convincing Israel to abandon this option.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has stated that while Israel coordinates closely with the U.S. as it prepares to respond to Iran, the ultimate decision on how to proceed will be made independently. “Everything is on the table,” Gallant told CNN on Sunday.
