2024-10-01 13:59:30
A full-scale war is not the way to return the residents of northern Israel to their homes, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said, quoted by BTA.
Israel launched more strikes on targets in Lebanon today, pressuring Hezbollah with fresh attacks after the assassination of the Iran-backed group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. The country said its goal was to secure its northern areas from Hezbollah rocket fire and allow thousands of displaced residents to return.
“An all-out war with Hezbollah is certainly not the way to achieve that. If you want to return these people to their homes safely and permanently, we believe the diplomatic route is the right way,” Kirby told CNN.
The U.S. is watching what Hezbollah will do to fill the leadership vacuum, “and continues to talk with the Israelis about what the right next steps are,” Kirby added.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health reports that more than 1,000 Lebanese have died and 6,000 have been injured in the past two weeks. The government said one million people – a fifth of the population – had fled their homes. Today’s Israeli strikes killed 32 people in the southern city of Ain Deleb, 21 in the eastern province of Baalbek-Hermel. Israeli drones continue to fly over Beirut, and new strikes are heard in the capital, Reuters notes.
At the same time, the Pentagon said that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had authorized the military to bolster its forces in the Middle East with “defensive” air support and put other forces on high alert to “respond to various contingencies”. according to spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder.
The statement did not specify what new air forces would be deployed in the region.