US official fears Israel's war on Gaza could spread to Lebanon

Washington DC — As Israel's 11-month-war on besieged Gaza persists, US officials are increasingly worried that the hostilities might soon spread to neighbouring Lebanon, where the synchronised blasts of pagers and walkie-talkies earlier this week left dozens of people dead and wounded thousands, an unprecedented attack that Beirut blamed on Tel Aviv.

Those attacks were followed by heavy Israeli missile strikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday and return rocket barrage from Hezbollah group, raising fears of a wider conflict and prompting calls for immediate de-escalation.

A senior US State Department official told TRT World in an exclusive interview that there is a potential of the Gaza war expanding into Lebanon.

"The pager attacks were deeply troubling," the State Department official said with a request to remain anonymous.

"We're certainly concerned about the potential for the Gaza conflict to extend into Lebanon. No one wants to see the violence spread further. The US is engaged with all parties to prevent further escalation," the official added.

The Israel-Lebanon conflict carries the risk of drawing the US into a more complex situation, which the Biden administration is eager to avoid.

The official clarified that the US had no prior knowledge of the device attacks in Lebanon.

"We had zero knowledge or operational involvement in that incident whatsoever," he said.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has blamed Israel for the "covert operation" — resulting in thousands of communication devices exploding — that he called a "declaration of war" on Thursday and vowed Israel will face "tough retribution and just punishment, where it expects it and where it does not."

The two-day device explosions killed at least 37 people — some children and medics as well — and wounded nearly 3,000, even as hostilities intensified along the Israeli-Lebanese border.

As Nasrallah spoke, Israeli jets struck southern Lebanon, producing sonic booms over Beirut. Hezbollah said it fired a barrage of rockets targeting Israeli military sites in northern Israel.

Hezbollah's potential response

The message from Washington is that the US does not wish for the conflict to broaden across the Middle East even as it has kept a heavy military presence in the region, with some 40,000 troops, at least 12 warships and four Air Force fighter jet squadrons ready to protect Israel.

The State Department official elaborated on the delicate diplomatic balance the US is trying to maintain: "While we support Israel's right to defend itself, we are currently focused on preventing the situation from escalating into a larger conflict."

US officials hinted at discreet engagement in back-channel diplomacy to de-escalate the ongoing situation. "Although I can't disclose every detail of our diplomatic efforts, we're in dialogue with our partners and allies, seeking ways to ease tensions," the official revealed.

"We aim to prevent further violence and to contain the situation."

Despite US assurances, the prospect of a wider regional war appears increasingly realistic.

"It’s evident that Hezbollah has suffered a significant blow [in device blasts]," the official said. "This raises concerns about their potential response."

Threat of escalation

The threat of escalation is not limited to Hezbollah alone.

As the conflict expands, international concerns are mounting. Delta Airlines has suspended flights between New York and Tel Aviv until December 31, citing the "ongoing conflict in the region."

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border have been forced to flee their homes, with uncertainty about when — or if — they might safely return.

For those remaining, daily life has become a struggle for survival, with the constant threat of airstrikes and rocket fire.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has indicated that Israeli military operations against Hezbollah will continue. "Our military actions will continue," Gallant said during a briefing with Israeli army officials on Thursday.

As fears of a full-scale war escalate, the region's ability to endure the violence remains in question.

"No one benefits from this conflict escalating further. The concern is that ongoing tensions might have repercussions beyond just Hezbollah and Israel," the US official told TRT World.