Washington: U.S. President Joe Biden urged for a ceasefire in Lebanon on Monday, amidst rising tensions, but a U.S. official cautioned that Israeli troop movements indicated an imminent ground incursion against Hezbollah militants.
When asked about reports suggesting that Israeli ground forces were preparing to advance into southern Lebanon, Biden told reporters he was “comfortable with them (Israel) stopping.” Top aides reinforced Biden’s ceasefire plea, calling for a diplomatic resolution to halt the violence and allow tens of thousands of displaced Israelis and Lebanese to return to their homes near the border.
“We will continue to work with our partners in the region and globally to push for a diplomatic resolution,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a State Department conference.
However, a U.S. official, who spoke anonymously, indicated that the positioning of Israeli troops suggested an imminent ground incursion into Lebanon. The official did not provide further details regarding Israeli force deployments.
The Biden administration’s call for de-escalation follows two weeks of Israeli airstrikes and targeted assassinations of Hezbollah commanders, including the group’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, on Friday. Israeli officials maintain that their operations are necessary to facilitate the return of approximately 70,000 citizens evacuated from northern Israeli communities after Hezbollah initiated rocket strikes on October 8 in support of a Hamas attack on Israel from Gaza.
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Israel’s Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, hinted at a potential ground incursion during a visit to troops stationed along the northern border. “We will use all the means that may be required—your forces, other forces, from the air, from the sea, and on land. Good luck,” Gallant said.
The Biden administration is concerned that Nasrallah’s death and further Israeli military actions could spark a broader regional conflict. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, echoed these concerns and pushed for continued diplomacy to stop the violence in both Lebanon and Gaza. “We want to find a path to peace, so that Palestinians and Israelis, along with Lebanese and Israelis living on the northern border, can achieve safety and security,” she told reporters.
