Authored by Dave DeCamp via AntiWar.com,

The Biden administration is concerned that the violence on the Israel-Lebanon border could soon escalate into a full-blown war and that Israel is rushing into the conflict without a clear strategy, Axios reported this week.

US officials told Axios that the administration has cautioned Israel against the idea of a “limited war,” warning that Iran could intervene and militants in Iraq and Syria could join the fighting.

Image: Israel Defense Forces

The report said the White House believes a ceasefire in Gaza is the only thing that could reduce tensions on the Israel-Lebanon border. However, Israeli officials have previously threatened to escalate in Lebanon if a truce is reached in Gaza.

The report comes after Israeli airstrikes killed a Hezbollah commander who was described as the most senior member of Hezbollah to be killed by Israel since October 2023.

Hezbollah responded with a large volley of rockets. On Thursday, Israeli soldiers were spotted launching large fireballs into southern Lebanon to start fires.

According to a tally from AFP, Israeli bombings in southern Lebanon have killed at least 468 people in southern Lebanon since October, including 89 civilians. On the Israeli side, Israeli authorities have said 15 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed by Hezbollah.

The US is calling for de-escalation on the border after the latest round of strikes, but there’s no sign diplomatic efforts are making any progress.

There’s also no sign that the US is putting any real pressure on Israel to change what it’s doing in the north since US military aid continues to flow.

Hezbollah publishes footage of fresh attacks on settlements of Kiryat Shmona, Kafr Sold, & Margaliot in northern Israel:

⚡️Hezb-Allah publishes footage of them targeting the settlements of Kiryat Shmona, Kafr Sold, and Margaliot in northern occupied Palestine with dozens of Katyusha and Falaq rockets. pic.twitter.com/eclLWAkvjq

— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) June 14, 2024

Back in January, The Washington Post reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might view a war in Lebanon as key to his political survival. President Biden said recently that people have “every reason” to believe that Netanyahu is dragging out the onslaught in Gaza for his own political self-preservation.