After the conclusion of the Israeli Security Cabinet meeting yesterday, Sunday, which lasted for three hours to discuss how to respond to the attack that Israel accuses Hezbollah of carrying out, resulting in the deaths of 12 children and teenagers in Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, details remain crucial. "Beware of Beirut" – all that was announced through the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is that the security cabinet meeting has ended, and its members have authorized Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant to determine the "type" and "timing" of Israel's response to the Hezbollah attack.
Despite Hezbollah's complete denial of targeting children in the Golan and the international warnings that have surfaced in recent hours to prevent any escalation, Israeli insistence remains dominant. In light of this insistence, the U.S. administration seemingly intervened; an Israeli official and an American official indicated that President Joe Biden's team warned Israel against any attack targeting the heart of the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
Both officials noted that striking any Hezbollah targets in Beirut in response to the Golan attack could lead to the situation spiraling out of control, according to Axios. An Israeli official stated that Biden’s senior advisor, Amos Hochstein, spoke on Saturday with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant, informing him that Israel has the right to defend itself against Hezbollah, but must avoid broad escalation and minimize civilian casualties.
Additionally, Hochstein expressed concern that if the Israeli military attacked Beirut, Hezbollah would retaliate by launching long-range missiles at Israel, likely leading to further escalation. Meanwhile, the American official stated that the U.S. believes that an Israeli strike on Beirut would be a possible red line for Hezbollah, suggesting that Israel will likely conduct only a limited attack that does not target Beirut.
