US intelligence estimates that a large-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is expected to break out in the coming weeks if a cease-fire agreement is not reached between Israel and Hamas.
U.S. officials are working to try to convince both sides not to escalate the situation © Mena Today
US intelligence estimates that a large-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is expected to break out in the coming weeks if a cease-fire agreement is not reached between Israel and Hamas, Politico reported on Thursday, in the wake of the announcement by the U.S. Embassy in Beirut which it suggests that American citizens "reconsider" travel to Lebanon.
U.S. officials are working to try to convince both sides not to escalate the situation, and estimate that this task will be simpler if there is an agreement to calm Israel's southern border.
But it is not certain that an agreement will be reached based on the proposal that is on the table.
Meanwhile, according to two senior U.S. officials, the IDF and Hezbollah have already prepared combat plans and are working to obtain weapons and ammunition in preparation for a possible conflict.
Another senior official in the Biden administration estimated that "the risk of war at this time is the highest in recent weeks."
Israel killed a commander of the Palestinian militant group Hamas in an airstrike on southern Lebanon on Friday, further testing a ceasefire that halted last year's war between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah group.
Turkey wants no confrontation with Israel in Syria after repeated Israeli attacks on military sites there undermined the new government's ability to deter threats, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Reuters on Friday.
Israeli troops moved into an area of northern Gaza to expand what they call a security zone around the edge of the enclave, the military said on Friday, days after the government announced plans to seize large areas with an operation in the south.
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