According to Axios, citing Israeli and American sources, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant about the dangers of increasing military tension along the Israel-Lebanon border. The sources indicated that Austin expressed concern during a phone call on Saturday about the potential for Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon to escalate tensions along the border, which could lead to a regional war.
Some in President Joe Biden's administration worry that Israel might be trying to provoke Hezbollah and create a pretext for a broader war in Lebanon that could draw the United States and other countries into further conflict, a claim strongly denied by Israeli officials.
Austin emphasized the need to contain the conflict in Gaza and avoid regional escalation. An Israeli source reported that Austin asked Gallant for clarifications regarding the Israeli strikes in Lebanon, urging his Israeli counterpart to avoid actions that could lead to a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Gallant informed Austin that Israel's policy is to avoid opening a second front in Lebanon, asserting that such a scenario is unlikely. He also told Austin that Hezbollah is escalating its attacks, including a reported drone attack from Syria on the city of Eilat, adding that "Hezbollah is playing with fire."
The Israeli army and rescue services announced that attacks carried out by Hezbollah on Sunday injured seven Israeli soldiers and ten other individuals. The Israeli army stated that seven of its soldiers sustained minor injuries due to mortar fire in the Manara area in northern Israel earlier on Sunday. The Israeli rescue service did not specify the location or provide information regarding the other ten casualties from the rocket impacts and shrapnel, but mentioned that two of them are in critical condition.
