US Warns Israel Against Repeating Gaza Destruction in Lebanon

The United States issued a warning to Israel on Wednesday, urging against carrying out military actions in Lebanon similar to those seen in Gaza, following a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who threatened Lebanon with “destruction” comparable to what occurred in Palestinian territories.

Despite this, Israel’s military chief, Herzi Halevi, promised to continue the heavy bombing campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has resulted in over 1,200 deaths since September 23. He stated that the bombings would persist without giving Hezbollah any opportunity to recover.

These developments followed a highly anticipated phone conversation between Netanyahu and U.S. President Joe Biden, their first discussion in seven weeks. The call, which lasted 30 minutes, was described by the White House as “direct,” “honest,” and “productive.” Although the conversation’s details were not immediately released, discussions were expected to center around Israel’s response to last week’s missile attacks by Iran.

When questioned about the call, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged its importance but declined to share specifics, stating that they were “classified.” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed that ongoing discussions with Israel on its military responses would continue.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who was originally scheduled to visit Washington on Wednesday to discuss Israel’s actions, had his trip postponed by Netanyahu. Gallant emphasized that Israel’s retaliation against Iran would be “deadly, precise, and surprising.”

Iran had launched approximately 200 missiles at Israel, claiming it was in retaliation for the deaths of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Many of these missiles were intercepted by Israeli and allied air defenses.

President Biden has advised Israel to avoid targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, fearing significant retaliation, and has discouraged strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure, which could disrupt global oil prices.

A source from the Lebanese government told AFP that Hezbollah had agreed to a ceasefire with Israel on September 27, following the Israeli strike that killed Nasrallah. However, Israel’s subsequent actions derailed the ceasefire plans, which had U.S. and allied support. Since Nasrallah’s death, the Lebanese government reported no further communication with Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, clashes between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces continued in southern Lebanon, with Hezbollah using rocket-propelled weapons to resist Israeli attempts to breach the border. In northern Israel, two people were killed by suspected Hezbollah rocket fire in Kiryat Shmona, and Israeli air defenses intercepted two projectiles aimed at the coastal town of Caesarea.

Lebanese officials reported that an Israeli airstrike killed at least four people in the Chouf district, southeast of Beirut, an area that had previously been relatively untouched by Israel’s intensified bombing.

Israel’s bombardment of Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, which began on September 23, has displaced more than a million people, according to AFP’s count based on official statistics. Israeli ground troops entered Lebanon on September 30, with Israeli forces reporting the elimination of terrorists in close combat and aerial strikes over the past 24 hours, alongside the destruction of 100 Hezbollah targets. Since the ground offensive began, 13 Israeli soldiers have been confirmed dead, according to the Israeli military.