The United States has issued a warning to Israel, cautioning against the possibility of a "limited war" in Lebanon that could potentially lead to the intervention of Iran. Pro-Iranian militias from Syria, Iraq, and Yemen could flood into Lebanon, creating a volatile situation.

The Biden administration firmly conveyed to Israel that it does not consider a "limited war" or a "small regional war" in Lebanon as realistic options. The complexity of preventing such conflicts from escalating further poses a significant challenge.

Ongoing skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah have intensified in recent weeks, prompting senior Israeli officials to call for an expansion of the fighting against the militant group. Concerns are growing within the IDF and Defense Ministry that the situation in Lebanon is reaching a critical turning point.

Efforts by the US and France to find a diplomatic solution and ease tensions on the border have so far yielded no concrete progress. The Biden administration's central goal is to prevent a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah, which could result in widespread destruction in both Lebanon and Israel.

The administration believes that restoring peace to the Israel-Lebanon border hinges on achieving a ceasefire in Gaza. The exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah along the border has been steadily escalating over the past eight months, leading to the evacuation of Israeli settlements and the displacement of over 60,000 Israelis who have yet to return to their homes.

Both sides have escalated their attacks, with Hezbollah launching drones and rockets up to 50 km from the border. Recent Hezbollah attacks, coupled with extreme weather conditions, sparked massive forest fires across northern Israel, which took more than 48 hours to extinguish.

The mounting public criticism of the Israeli government's handling of the conflict, coupled with these fires, prompted an emergency meeting of the War Cabinet. A senior security official noted that the situation has been escalating since May, as Hezbollah successfully carried out attacks using UAVs that the IDF was unable to intercept. The group has also started launching rockets with heavy warheads, causing significant damage to IDF bases along the border.

The US State Department has expressed deep concern over the risk of escalation on the Israel-Lebanon border. Intensive diplomatic negotiations are underway to prevent the conflict from spiraling out of control. Israel maintains that its preferred solution to the conflict is diplomatic, according to State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller.

During the War Cabinet meeting, the IDF presented various options for expanding the fighting, including a ground invasion aimed at pushing Hezbollah's Radwan force away from the border. However, Israeli officials emphasized that the instructions received since October 7 were to focus on defeating Hamas in Gaza and to avoid a war in Lebanon. They warned that any military action against Hezbollah or limited operations in Lebanon would bear significant consequences for Israel.

As the situation remains tense, Israel and Lebanon continue to seek an agreement to defuse the escalating tensions. The Israeli official stressed the need for a thorough understanding of the potential ramifications before making any decisions.