US 'does not expect Israel to absorb' Hezbollah attacks, signals green light for IDF escalation
Coveragetap to expand ▾Spectrum: Mixed🌍Europe: 3 · ME: 3 · Asia: 3 · Other: 2 · US: 1
- Trump says Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to dial back fighting
- Trump says Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to ‘stop all shooting’
- The US president said in a social media post that he spoke to Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and representatives of Hezbollah and both agreed that “all shooting will stop”.
- Likewise, through highly placed representatives, I had a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed all shooting will stop,” Trump said in a post.
- According to a statement by Lebanon’s presidency, under the proposed arrangement Israel would not strike Beirut’s southern suburbs if Hezbollah did not launch attacks against Israel.
- The Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah said the group refused a partial truce offer to spare Beirut in exchange for an end to Hezbollah attacks on Israel.
- Israel's prime minister has ordered attacks on the southern suburbs of Lebanon's capital, Beirut, as its conflict with the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah escalates.
The United States has made it clear that it does not expect Israel to absorb ongoing attacks from Hezbollah, indicating a potential green light for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to escalate their military operations.
This stance follows a series of rocket attacks launched by Hezbollah into northern Israel, which have prompted Israeli military responses, including recent strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut ordered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a bid to de-escalate tensions, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio proposed a framework that calls for Hezbollah to cease its attacks in exchange for Israel refraining from further strikes on Beirut.
This proposal comes amid a backdrop of heightened military activity, with Netanyahu asserting that the IDF would target what they describe as 'terrorist positions' in response to Hezbollah's violations of a ceasefire that was previously established.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has claimed that both Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to mutual de-escalation, suggesting that a temporary halt in hostilities could be on the horizon.
However, the situation remains precarious, as the Israeli military continues to prepare for potential further operations in Lebanon, underscoring the fragile nature of the current ceasefire efforts.
As the United Nations Security Council prepares to discuss the ongoing conflict, many governments watches closely to see if the proposed framework will lead to a lasting reduction in hostilities or if the cycle of violence will continue unabated.
Left- and right-leaning outlets are covering this story differently — in which facts to emphasize, which context to include, and how to frame causes and consequences.