US Leads Diplomatic Drive To Curb Israel’s Response To Golan Heights Assault, Prevent Attack On Densely Populated Beirut

In the wake of a lethal rocket attack on the Golan Heights, the United States is spearheading diplomatic initiatives to dissuade Israel from retaliating against Beirut or significant civil infrastructure in Lebanon.

What Happened: A Reuters report on Thursday revealed that the US is striving to avert a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese group backed by Iran. This development follows a rocket assault on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights last weekend, which resulted in the deaths of 12 young individuals. Both the US and Israel have attributed the rocket attack to Hezbollah, an allegation the group has refuted.

The main aim of these diplomatic efforts is to deter Israel from striking densely populated regions in Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, or essential infrastructure like airports and bridges. This insight was provided by anonymous sources acquainted with the situation.

Since the Golan attack, Lebanon’s deputy parliament speaker, Elias Bou Saab, has been in contact with US mediator Amos Hochstein. He proposed that Israel could avoid a significant escalation by sparing Beirut and its suburbs.

Although Israel has expressed its intention to harm Hezbollah without triggering a full-scale war, it has not pledged to refrain from attacking Beirut or its civil infrastructure. The US State Department declined to comment on the specifics of the diplomatic talks but reaffirmed its unwavering support for Israel’s security against all threats backed by Iran, including Hezbollah.

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Why It Matters: The escalating tensions in the Middle East have not significantly impacted oil prices, as per a Benzinga report.

The Israeli security cabinet had authorized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to decide on the response to the deadly rocket strike in the Golan Heights, attributed to Hezbollah by both Israel and the United States.

Image via Shutterstock

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal