US-EU warn Hezbollah to withdraw from possible escalation of war in the Middle East

2024-06-29 22:00:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

US-EU warn Hezbollah to withdraw from possible escalation of war in the Middle

Illustrative photo. Source: AP

American, European and Arab mediators are pressing to prevent escalating cross-border attacks between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon from turning into a wider Middle East war that the world has been fearing for months.

Hopes are fading for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which would lead to a reduction in attacks by Hezbollah and other Iranian allies. With that in mind, US and European officials are sending warning messages to Hezbollah, which is more powerful than Hamas, not to attack Israel's powerful military, various diplomats say.

They are warning that Hezbollah must take into account the fact that the United States, or any other country, will not be able to restrain Israeli leaders if they decide to implement the plans, already prepared, for an offensive in Lebanon. Also, Hezbollah should not rely on the abilities of its fighters to cope with whatever may come.

The intensity of attacks between Israel and Hezbollah appeared to decrease last week. But a former US diplomat in the Middle East says the Israelis still appear to be preparing in case "the conflict could take other dimensions".

"It seems that the Israelis are preparing for the possibility that there could be some kind of conflict, a conflict of a completely different scale," said Gerald Feierstein, a former top US diplomat in the Middle East.

The message being conveyed to Hizbullah is that: "you don't have as much ability as you think", he said.

Since October 7, when Hamas' attack on Israel sparked the war in Gaza, Hezbollah has fired rockets into northern Israel and has vowed to continue until a ceasefire is reached. Israel has responded by forcing tens of thousands of civilians across the border in both countries. The attacks intensified this month after Israel killed a senior Hezbollah commander, while the militants responded by firing rockets.

The UN's chief humanitarian aid official, Martin Griffiths, said the consequences of a possible war between Israel and Hezbollah would be "apocalyptic".

Both Israel and Hezbollah have the power to inflict high casualties.

"Such a war would be a disaster for Lebanon," said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as he met recently with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon. "Another war between Israel and Hezbollah could easily turn into a regional war." , with dire consequences for the Middle East," he added.

Mr. Gallant, reacting, said that: "we are working closely together to reach an agreement, but we must also discuss the readiness for any possible scenario".

Analysts believe that armed groups in the region, allies of Iran, would have a stronger reaction than they have to Hamas, and some experts warn that ideologically motivated militants could move to the region to fight. Europeans fear a destabilizing influx of refugees if the conflict widens.

White House officials have blamed Hezbollah for escalating tensions and said they support Israel's right to self-defense. President Biden's administration has also told the Israelis that opening a second front is not in their interest.

However, White House officials are not denying the real possibility that a second conflict front could open in the Middle East.

A senior official in President Biden's administration, who declined to be identified, said that in conversations with Israeli and Lebanese officials and other regional actors, there is a consensus that "an escalation is in nobody's interest."

President Biden announced plans for a three-phase Gaza ceasefire deal. But negotiations between Israel and Hamas appear to have stalled. A senior US official said on Saturday that Washington has offered a new opportunity to mediating parties seeking to restart negotiations. The official spoke on condition of anonymity about this effort, which the White House has not yet officially announced./VOA