Tel Aviv: U.S. officials have assessed that Israel’s recent airstrikes in Lebanon have significantly weakened Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, with one official stating that Hezbollah “has been taken 20 years backward” in terms of its military capabilities. Meanwhile, Washington is working urgently to prevent the conflict from escalating further.
According to CNN, Israel announced new airstrikes on Hezbollah strongholds on Tuesday, just a day after 492 people, including 35 children, were killed in one of the deadliest bombardments since the 2006 Lebanon war.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified since Israel allegedly targeted communications equipment used by Hezbollah members, sparking a “technological war” that has led to numerous casualties.
One U.S. official warned, “We are the closest we’ve been to spiraling into a regional war,” signaling growing concerns that the conflict could spread beyond Lebanon. Additionally, U.S. officials have expressed worry over Iran’s involvement, following a warning from Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani of “dangerous consequences” for Israel after the airstrikes.
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Hezbollah retaliated by launching missiles at Israeli military bases, hours after 180 of its projectiles and a drone crossed into Israeli airspace, sending residents of Haifa scrambling for shelter. Last week, Israel’s airstrikes targeted Hezbollah’s commanders, severely impacting the group’s leadership and operations, according to U.S. assessments.
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The United Nations reported that tens of thousands of Lebanese have fled their homes since the Israeli bombardment intensified. “Tens of thousands of people were forced from their homes yesterday and overnight, and the numbers continue to grow,” said UN refugee agency spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh, calling the toll on civilians “unacceptable”.
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Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in near-daily exchanges of fire for nearly a year, following Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7.
