US calls on Israel to refrain from provoking Hezbollah

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has expressed concern to Defence Minister Yoav Gallant about the escalation of fighting on the northern border and expressed fears that it would lead to the opening of another front.

Austin's message reflects growing anxiety in the White House over the escalating situation on the Israel-Lebanon border, Detaly.co.il reports, citing three sources familiar with the content of the conversation.

The Biden administration is concerned that IDF attacks in Lebanon are intended to provoke Hezbollah and create a pretext for a broader Israeli military operation in Lebanon that could draw the United States deeper into the conflict. Israeli officials categorically deny this.

A source familiar with the situation said it was the White House that asked Austin to express Gallant's concerns about increased Israeli attacks in Lebanon.

A statement released by the Pentagon about the conversation said that Austin drew Gallant’s attention to the need to limit the current crisis to the Gaza Strip and avoid regional escalation, without explicitly mentioning the situation in Lebanon.

However, two Israeli and US sources said Austin was very direct in his conversation with Gallant and expressed US concerns about the IDF's activities in Lebanon.

The Israeli source said Austin asked Gallant to clarify the IDF strikes in Lebanon in recent days and asked Israel to refrain from taking steps that could lead to a full-scale war with Hezbollah.

Gallant told Austin that Israel's policy doesn’t seek to open a second front in Lebanon, and stressed that he did not think such a scenario would be implemented.

The minister also noted that it was Hezbollah that led to the escalation of hostilities when it launched drones into Israel, including one that was launched from Syria into Eilat.

"Hezbollah is playing with fire," Gallant told Austin.