US officials are trying to de-escalate the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, while the movement says it will not back down until Israel ends its ground offensive in Gaza, the report read. While the US officials recognize Hezbollah's demands, they are also working on backup options for de-escalation, the report added, citing sources.
On June 18, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it had approved operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz later said that Israel was "very close" to a decision to "change the rules" against Hezbollah and Lebanon, threatening to destroy the movement "in an all-out war" and to "severely hit" Lebanon. Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said that the movement could invade northern Israel if the confrontation intensifies further.
The situation on the Israeli-Lebanese border worsened after the start of Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip in October 2023. The IDF and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters fire at each others positions in areas along the border on a daily basis. The Lebanese Foreign Ministry said that around 100,000 people had to leave their homes in border areas, while the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that 80,000 Israelis had to do the same.