The White House warns Israel: Escalation with Hezbollah is not in your “best interest”

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the White House commented on the recent surge in tension between Israel and Lebanon, as Hezbollah responded with over 100 rockets targeting northern Israel.

A military escalation is not in Israel's “best interest”, said National Security spokesman John Kirby in an interview with ABC News, referring to the latest developments between Tel Aviv and Hezbollah.

“We don’t believe that escalating this military conflict is in their best interest,” he affirmed, adding that the US was “saying this directly to our Israeli counterparts.”

“The tensions are much higher now than they were even just a few days ago.”

Kirby also reiterated the call for a diplomatic solution to the conflict, emphasizing that further escalation could lead to an all-out war. “We still believe that there can be time and space for a diplomatic solution here and that’s what we’re working on.”

The US statement follows heightened tension on Israel’s northern front, where the Israeli army reported that 150 rockets and drones were launched overnight toward Israel. Hezbollah's rocket barrages targeted several areas in Upper and Lower Galilee, as well as southeast Haifa and Acre.

These attacks follow Israel’s recent hostilities: the bombing of communication devices and wireless systems, which killed dozens, including children, and an Israeli airstrike in Beirut that claimed 45 lives, including senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil and other top leaders from the elite Radwan force.