Officials from the United States told the Israeli government that Washington will fully support Israel in case of war with Hezbollah, CNN reported. According to the sources, the US would stop short of sending troops to help Israel. Israeli officials, including Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, traveled to the US this week for talks with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, among others. They discussed the rising tensions on the Israeli border with Lebanon and the options for de-escalating, including “ways of returning Israelis and Lebanese people who have been displaced from the border back to their homes,” according to the report.
Hamas reportedly stalling talks in hopes for Lebanon war
The leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, is claimed to be buying time to negotiate the ceasefire agreement with Israel, hoping that a war will break out in Lebanon before the deal is finalized, sources told Haaretz. “Hamas doesn’t want a deal now,” an insider said. People familiar with the situation report that Qatar is engaging in discussions with Hamas leaders to bridge the gap between Israel’s latest ceasefire proposal and the concerns raised by the militant group. Previously, the United States and Israel discussed the ceasefire deal for Gaza, which previously gained the support of the United Nations Security Council.