In a last-minute intervention, President Biden reportedly convinced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to call off a planned strike against Hezbollah for fears of triggering a region-wide war. The decision came in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 massacre, which saw Hamas attack Israel and left over 1,200 people dead. Israeli officials, concerned about a potential repeat attack from Hamas' allies in Lebanon, had warplanes at the ready to target the Lebanese terror group along the Lebanon border on Oct. 11.

According to the Wall Street Journal, American intelligence did not find any evidence of an impending Hezbollah invasion, prompting President Biden to speak with Netanyahu about the potential consequences of such an attack. Sources told the Journal that Biden, during a 45-minute call, managed to convince Netanyahu and his war cabinet to take a more cautious approach, avoiding a full-scale war in both Gaza and Lebanon.

The alleged plan by Israel to strike Hezbollah was brought to the attention of the United States when Israeli officials sought support from American counterparts. The details of the call between Biden and Israeli officials were not disclosed, but it was reported that conflicting reports and intelligence played a role in the decision-making process. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was said to have pushed for the strike, believing that a broader war was inevitable.

It took approximately six hours for Netanyahu and his war cabinet to reach a consensus and call off the planned strike, as emergency sirens blared across Israel and the Israel Defense Forces were ordered to prepare for an attack on Lebanon. Netanyahu, however, denied the claims that Biden influenced the decision, asserting that Israel is a sovereign state and makes its own decisions based on operational considerations.

The prime minister's office released a statement reiterating Israel's objective of achieving victory against Hamas in the south while maintaining a strong deterrent against Hezbollah in the north. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has seen both sides exchange rocket fire, with the Iran-backed terrorist group vowing to continue its strikes in response to Israeli bombardments and ground invasion of Gaza.

While the United States has been working to prevent further escalation between Israel and its northern neighbor, the IDF's clashes with Hezbollah continue to escalate tensions. Israel announced on Saturday that it had conducted airstrikes targeting Hezbollah-related targets along the Lebanon border, following the killing of an IDF soldier by the terrorist group. The situation remains volatile as both sides remain engaged in a cycle of violence in the region.