The USA is concerned that the hostilities on the border of Israel and Lebanon could escalate into a full-scale war, Reuters informs.
"We have had consistent and urgent conversations at different times with Israel and Lebanon over the eight months, from the very beginning of this crisis ... to keep this from developing into a full-out war that could have implications to beyond elsewhere in the region," Reuters quotes a statement from an unnamed senior US official.
He added that returning to the status quo to October 6 in Lebanon is "an acceptable or viable option."
Prior events
On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants began their incursion into Israeli territory, sparking a war between the Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian terrorists.
Hamas openly received support from other militants in the Middle East, including Hezbollah, based in Lebanon. The group had repeatedly launched attacks on Israel since October of the previous year, and Israeli forces responded.
In particular, Israeli jets struck Hezbollah military targets during the night of June 11. In response, on June 13, militants fired the largest number of rockets at Israel in a single day since the beginning of the conflict.