US changes stance on Lebanon: Supports Israeli offensive to weaken Hezbollah

Shafaq News/ The United States has backed away from pushing for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, instead opting for a strategy that allows Israel to continue its offensive aimed at ending Hezbollah's long-standing dominance and paving the way for the election of a new Lebanese president, Reuters reported on Saturday.

Reuters added, this approach is seen as serious by US officials, who cited recent remarks by State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller. He stated, " We do support Israel launching these incursions to degrade Hezbollah's infrastructure so ultimately we can get a diplomatic resolution."

This shift in US policy comes after weeks of intense diplomacy aimed at securing a ceasefire. However, Washington has now decided to let the conflict in Lebanon play out, reflecting a broader dilemma in balancing its goals of containing the escalating violence in the Middle East while significantly weakening Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Former US State Department official Jon Alterman commented that “the US wants to see Hezbollah weakened but must weigh that against the risk of creating a vacuum in Lebanon or provoking a regional war,” Reuters added.

Two weeks ago, the US and France had called for a 21-day ceasefire to prevent an Israeli invasion of Lebanon. However, those efforts fell apart after Israel assassinated Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and launched ground operations in southern Lebanon on October 1st.

Since the end of former President Michel Aoun's term in 2022, Lebanon has been without a president, with the parliament unable to elect a new leader due to political divisions, primarily involving Hezbollah.