US Official Warns Israel War On Hezbollah Would Be ‘Catastrophic,’ Likely Fail To Achieve Goals

A high-ranking US official has warned that a full-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon could result in “catastrophic and unforeseen consequences,” according to remarks made at the Middle East America Dialogue (MEAD) summit in Washington, DC. The official, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed concern about the potential fallout of such a war, stating, “There is no war in lab conditions. It’s not a game. I don’t doubt the capabilities of the IDF, but we have to think about the fact that there will be serious consequences for both sides,” as reported by Israeli journalist Barak Ravid and other Hebrew media sources.

These remarks come amid a surge in attacks from Hezbollah on Israeli positions and communities along the border, which have occurred almost daily since October 8. Hezbollah has claimed that its actions are intended to support Gaza and its ally, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, in the ongoing conflict that began on October 7.

At the same MEAD summit, former Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz suggested that Israel should shift its attention to Hezbollah and the Lebanese frontier. He warned, “we are late on this,” and emphasized that a conflict with the Iran-supported militant group is likely if Israel fails to negotiate a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza soon.

Despite the arguments from Gantz and other Israeli officials that a significant military campaign in Lebanon might be necessary to enable the return of thousands of Israelis to their homes along the northern border, the US official cautioned that such an action could lead to substantial civilian casualties and result in many people being unable to return to their homes. According to Ravid, the official said, “There is an idea of let’s go to war and then we will destroy all the missiles Hezbollah has and everything will be fine. It’s not that simple. There is no magic solution. The other side cannot be annihilated. At the end of the war, Israel may pay a heavy price and not achieve its goals,” and recommended pursuing a diplomatic resolution to de-escalate tensions along the border.

The official also suggested that if a conflict were to erupt, international actors would likely step in to broker a diplomatic resolution similar to what could be achieved through current negotiations. Since the October 7 massacre carried out by Hamas, Israel has indicated that it can no longer tolerate Hezbollah’s activities near its border and has warned that it will resort to military measures to push Hezbollah away if a diplomatic solution is not reached.

{Matzav.com}