He Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallantalerted USA that the prospects of avoiding an escalation on the northern border with the Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah were fading away, his ministry said Monday.
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The official said during a call to his American counterpart, the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austinthat “the possibility of a negotiated framework in the northern zone is running out because Hezbollah continues to ‘tie itself’ to Hamas,” according to a statement from the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
According to Israeli media, the country is expecting a visit from the US presidential special envoy, Amos Hochstein, to hold talks with Israeli leaders. Hochstein has been visiting Israel for months. Israel and Lebanon regularly to try to calm tensions on the border and avoid a regional escalation.
Tensions in the Middle East
Iran-backed Hezbollah has exchanged cross-border fire almost daily with Israeli forces since the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 and began the war in the Gaza Strip.
The violence has claimed 623 lives in Lebanon, most of them combatants but also 142 civilians, according to an AFP report.
In Israel, including the annexed area of the Golan Heightsauthorities reported the deaths of at least 24 soldiers and 26 civilians.
The fighting also forced tens of thousands of people to abandon their homes.
Gallant reiterated on Monday “Israel’s commitment to eliminating Hezbollah’s presence in southern Lebanon and to allowing the safe return of communities in northern Israel to their homes.”
These statements were similar to those made the day before by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who promised that “the existing situation will not continue.”
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s deputy chief, Naim Qassemdeclared on Saturday that his group “has no intention of entering into war,” but that if Israel “unleashes” one “there will be great losses on both sides.”
The two countries fought a month-long war in the summer of 2006 that killed more than 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mainly soldiers.
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