Amidst escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, US President Joe Biden delivered a stark warning, acknowledging the possibility of an all-out war. In an interview with ABC’s ‘The View,’ Biden expressed his concern, stating, ‘An all-out war is possible.’ However, he also expressed hope for a potential solution that could bring lasting peace to the region.
Biden suggested that securing a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah could be a crucial step towards ending the conflict and bringing an end to the hostilities between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza. ‘It’s possible, and I’m using every bit of energy I have with my team… to get this done,’ he stated. The war is approaching its one-year mark, with the anniversary of Hamas’s invasion of southern Israel falling on October 7th. The conflict has resulted in a devastating toll, claiming the lives of tens of thousands, primarily Palestinians in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a firm statement, vowing that Israel would not cease its military operations against Hezbollah until residents in the north could safely return to their homes. ‘We are striking Hezbollah with blows it never imagined. We are doing this with full force, we are doing this with guile. One thing I promise you: we will not rest until they return home,’ Netanyahu declared.
Echoing this commitment, Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi instructed soldiers to be prepared for a potential entry into Lebanon. ‘We are not stopping. We will keep attacking and harming (Hezbollah) everywhere,’ Halevi asserted. ‘To do this, we are preparing for the course of the manoeuvre, and the sense is that your military boots, your manoeuvre boots, will enter enemy territory.’
In the midst of the escalating conflict, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been urging both Israel and Hezbollah to step back from the brink, emphasizing the disastrous consequences of an all-out war for the region. ‘The best way to get that is not through war, not through escalation,’ Blinken stated in an interview with CBS News. The international community is watching closely as the conflict intensifies, with many hoping for a peaceful resolution to prevent further suffering and instability in the Middle East.
