Report: Gen. Aoun visiting Washington as US scrambles to prevent Israel-Hezbollah war
The Biden administration has grown “extremely concerned” that escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah in recent days might deteriorate into an all-out war and is scrambling to prevent it, U.S. news portal Axios quoted U.S. officials as saying.
“The U.S. is concerned about Israel rushing into a war with Hezbollah — or getting dragged into one — without a clear strategy or consideration of the full implications of a wider conflict,” the officials said.
“The Biden administration is trying to contain the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah as much as possible while working to secure a hostage-ceasefire deal in Gaza,” the officials added.
The White House believes that a ceasefire in Gaza is the only thing that would significantly de-escalate the tensions on the Israeli-Lebanese border.
According to Axios, Lebanese Army chief General Joseph Aoun is visiting Washington this week for meetings with White House and Pentagon officials and members of Congress about the current crisis.
While traveling with U.S. President Joe Biden to the G7 summit in Italy on Wednesday, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One that the U.S. "is particularly concerned" about the exchange of fire across the border with Lebanon.
Sullivan also stressed that the U.S. is in close consultation with Israel on this issue.
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