Biden administration fears Israel will soon invade Lebanon; France & Germany call for ‘restraint’

Senior officials in the Biden administration fear that Israel may be about to launch a ground offensive into Lebanon to push back Hezbollah forces, following two waves of explosions that dealt a heavy blow to the terror group.

According to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed concern in a meeting with senior Pentagon officials on Monday that Israel might soon launch an invasion. His comments came shortly before mysterious explosions occurred in Lebanon.

Since the explosions and Hezbollah’s vow to retaliate, the Pentagon’s concern has intensified. “I am very concerned about this spiraling out of control,” a senior defense official told the WSJ.

In recent weeks, Israeli officials have repeatedly indicated that their patience with U.S.-led diplomatic efforts is waning and that they view a military offensive as the only viable option to achieve Israel's recently-declared war goal of returning evacuated northern residents to their homes.

On Wednesday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said a “new phase” of the war had begun, noting that Israel’s focus was shifting from the Gaza War to the northern front.

In response to these statements, French and German diplomats urged both Israel and Hezbollah forces to prevent an escalation of the simmering conflict, which began when the Lebanese terror group began attacking Israel on Oct. 8 of last year in a show of support for the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.

“France is aware of the recent statements by the Israeli authorities regarding military operations in Lebanon, and calls on them to exercise maximum restraint,” the French Foreign Ministry stated.

“It reiterates its demand from Hezbollah to immediately stop its attacks on Israeli territory. France believes that maintaining peace and security in Lebanon requires all Lebanese parties to prioritize the national interest and avoid involvement in the open conflicts in the region.”

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to speak with Lebanese leaders by phone on Thursday in an effort to prevent an escalation, sources told Israel Hayom.

Ich warne alle Seiten vor weiterer Eskalation in #Nahost. Seit Monaten führen wir & all unsere Partner Gespräche, telefonieren uns die Finger wund, Ringen um die kleinsten Fortschritte Richtung #Stabilität. Schlag & Gegenschlag bringen die Region keinen Millimeter zum Frieden.

— Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock (@ABaerbock) September 19, 2024

Germany Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned “all sides” against further escalation.

“For months, we and all our partners have been holding talks, holding phone talks until our fingers hurt, struggling to make the smallest progress towards stability. Strike and counterstrike do not bring the region one millimeter closer to peace,” she said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken concurred, telling media on Wednesday it was “imperative that all parties refrain from any actions that could escalate the conflict.”

Despite Israel reinforcing troops on the northern border, U.S. officials stated that they haven’t identified any other indicators, such as a large-scale reserve call-up, which is expected to precede any broad offensive.

However, smaller operations could begin more quickly and without further indicators, officials added..

On Monday, White House envoy Amos Hochstein warned Israel’s leadership that launching an all-out war against Hezbollah won’t improve Israel’s situation, and would instead risk a prolonged regional war.

The Prime Minister's Office said Netanyahu “made it clear in a determined and decisive manner in his conversation with the envoy Hochstein that it will not be possible to return our residents without a fundamental change in the security situation in the north.”