US officials warned the Israeli defense minister and other military officials against carrying out a pre-emptive strike on Lebanese Hezbollah following Hamas’ October 7 surprise attack from Gaza on Israel, the New York Times reported on 21 October.
The White House continues to caution Israeli leaders against carrying out any major strike against Hezbollah that could draw the group into the conflict between the Hamas-led Palestinian resistance and the Israeli army, US and Israeli officials told the paper.
The White House fears Israel will face difficulties fighting on two fronts, against both Hamas in the south and a much more powerful Hezbollah force in the north. According to The New York Times, the CIA has long assessed that Israel would face significant challenges in a war against both Hezbollah and Hamas.
Hezbollah is believed to possess over 130,000 missiles and rockets, as well as battle hardened ground forces with experience fighting against ISIS and other Al-Qaeda groups during the covert US-led war on Syria that began in 2011.
The US officials also worry that an Israeli war with Hezbollah could draw in both the US and Iran. The US is Israel’s main supporter, while Iran is Hezbollah’s main supporter. The US has sent two naval strike carriers and thousands of additional troops to the eastern Mediterranean in hopes of deterring Hezbollah from entering the conflict.
Both Iran and Hezbollah have warned they may enter the conflict if Israel’s bombing of Gaza, which has killed over 4,300 Palestinians, including over 1,600 children, continues and if Israel launches a ground offensive in the densely populated and besieged enclave.
According to US officials speaking with the New York Times, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considered launching a pre-emptive strike against Hezbollah on the advice of his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, but has since backed off considering such a step. Gallant argued that Hezbollah posed a greater threat to Israel than Hamas but was overruled when suggesting such an attack.
US officials advised their Israeli counterparts against attacking Hezbollah in meetings last week, as both US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel.
During internal discussions, Netanyahu had expressed some support for the strike, Israeli officials said. Some Israeli military officials came up with a plan that focused on attacking Hezbollah by using the pretense of an invasion of Gaza as cover for a bigger assault in the north, they said. However, Netanyahu did not sign off on the plan, to the disappointment of Defense Minister Gallant.
Hezbollah and Israel have traded tit for tat rocket and artillery strikes since Israel’s war with Hamas began, but neither side has carried out a major attack.
On Friday, Hezbollah launched a number of missile and rocket attacks against Israeli targets, killing one Israeli soldier, Staff Sgt. (res.) Omer Balva. Aged 22 and a US-Israeli citizen who grew up and lived in Maryland, Balva was a commander in the 9203rd Battalion of the Alexandroni Brigade, from Herzliya.
The Israeli army then carried attacks on Hezbollah targets, including a “series of military facilities used by the organization for operational needs” and an anti-tank missile launcher directed at Israel.
Israel and Hezbollah last fought a war in 2006, which analysts widely viewed as a defeat for Israel. Since then, the Lebanese resistance group has grown stronger and better armed.