Israel signals potential military action as Hezbollah tensions rise

The Israeli PM aims to ensure the safe return of residents who fled Lebanon border areas due to the conflict

Israel has outlined a new war objective, amid growing signs that the conflict could extend to the north of the country, as officials warned the United States that "military action" might soon be the only option to confront increasing hostilities with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group.

As concerns of a broader regional conflict rise, Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, announced on Tuesday that it had thwarted a Hezbollah plot to assassinate a former senior official in the Israeli security establishment.

On Monday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that the security cabinet had revised its list of war aims, which now includes the safe return of residents who had been displaced from areas near the northern border with Lebanon due to months of fighting with Hezbollah.

"Israel will continue to pursue this goal," the Prime Minister's office declared.

On the other hand Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday that the window was closing for a diplomatic solution to the standoff with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon.

During a meeting the same day with Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to US President Joe Biden, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant insisted that military action was the only way to achieve this objective. Gallant stressed that the window for a diplomatic solution with Hezbollah was closing, as the group increasingly aligned itself with Hamas, according to a statement from his office.

The Defence Minister and senior Israeli military officials briefed Hochstein on the Israel Defence Forces’ ongoing operations against Hezbollah forces.

Gallant’s remarks come at a time when he is under pressure to adopt a more aggressive approach in the north, with Israeli media reporting that Netanyahu may be considering his dismissal amid criticism from right-wing ministers who are key to the stability of his coalition.

“It’s time for Netanyahu to dismiss Gallant immediately,” National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote on X, calling for decisive action in the north.

Reports have surfaced that Netanyahu is considering replacing Gallant with New Hope chairman Gideon Sa’ar, a vocal critic of the government’s handling of the Gaza offensive. However, the Prime Minister’s office denied any ongoing negotiations with Sa’ar in a statement on Monday.

An Israeli official revealed that one of the obstacles to any potential agreement involving Sa’ar was the opposition of Netanyahu’s wife, Sara. The Prime Minister’s office declined to comment further.

There has been a growing consensus in Israel’s political circles that war with Hezbollah may be on the horizon, though no large-scale operation has materialised yet.

However, former Israeli intelligence official Avi Melamed, in an analysis shared with NBC News, noted that the “war drums” for a wider conflict were growing louder, as Netanyahu faced pressure from his coalition partners and centre-right supporters to restore calm in the northern region.

The United States has expressed concerns that any expansion of military operations could trigger a wider regional war. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a call with Gallant on Sunday, warned of the "devastating consequences" that further escalation could have for Israel, Lebanon, and the region as a whole, according to a Pentagon briefing.

On Tuesday, Shin Bet revealed that it had foiled a plot to assassinate a former Israeli security official. The agency uncovered a Claymore explosive device equipped with remote detonation capabilities, which it claimed Hezbollah had planned to activate from Lebanon. Hezbollah has yet to respond to these allegations, and NBC News has not independently verified them.

Since the start of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, triggered by Hamas’ attacks on 7 October that left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead and 250 taken hostage, tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have been escalating, with regular exchanges of fire displacing thousands on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border.

According to local health authorities, more than 41,000 people have died, with thousands more injured, in Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza.

UN human rights experts condemned Western nations on Monday for their continued support of Israel, with Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights, stating, "The suffering is unimaginable, yet the world remains silent."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to visit Egypt, as Washington seeks to revive the possibility of a ceasefire deal. However, the US has voiced concerns over Israeli strikes on civilian areas, including schools and aid workers, in Gaza.

“The IDF is a professional military force and should be able to prevent such incidents,” said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the United Nations.