Only further military action against Hezbollah would make it safe for displaced Israelis to return to their homes in the areas bordering Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has said.
During a meeting with US envoy Amos Hochstein in Tel Aviv on Monday, Gallant stressed that the window for a diplomatic agreement with the Lebanese-based militants was closing.
“Hezbollah continues to tie itself to Hamas,” Gallant wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Therefore, the only way left to ensure the return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes, will be through military action.”
Gallant relayed the same point during his phone call with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, warning that time was “running out” for an agreement with Hezbollah.
More than 60,000 Israelis have been displaced since Hezbollah began firing rockets and mortar shells across the border in support of Hamas in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responded by striking targets in Lebanon and killing several senior Hezbollah operatives, including Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an airstrike in Beirut in late July.
Gallant and other Israeli officials have threatened Hezbollah with a devastating military response in the past, raising fears of a full-blown invasion of Lebanon. Iran has threatened Israel with “an obliterating war” if it attacks Lebanon.
The US, however, has discouraged Israel from expanding operations against Hezbollah due to concerns that it could spark a new prolonged regional conflict.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has been attempting to broker a peace deal between Israel and Hamas, said in July that Washington was “determined” to avoid a larger conflict.
During his meeting with Gallant, Hochstein said that Washington favors a diplomatic solution and warned that an offensive against Hezbollah would not lead to the return of refugees, the Times of Israel reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.
Hezbollah also issued a stark warning last week, with senior member Naim Qassem saying a full-fledged war would produce “large losses on both sides” and more refugees.