Netanyahu Accused of Hindering US Attempts to Reduce Hezbollah Tensions – Axios

The complaints made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the lack of military aid from the US have been flagged by US officials as a hindrance to de-escalating tensions with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, as reported by Axios.

Netanyahu’s accusations against Washington for withholding weapons and ammunition from Israel were made in a video posted on Tuesday, labelling such actions as “inconceivable.”

Biden administration officials, speaking anonymously to Axios, expressed concerns that Netanyahu’s rhetoric is straining the relationship between the two allies and weakening Israel’s deterrence capabilities, especially in dealing with Hezbollah.

The US officials highlighted the detrimental impact of Netanyahu’s video on deterrence efforts, emphasising that such claims of the US withholding weapons from Israel only serve to embolden Hezbollah.

Axios also revealed that while publicly denying knowledge of Netanyahu’s claims, privately, Biden’s team was reportedly angered and surprised by the Israeli prime minister’s behaviour, with some officials going as far as to describe him as “unhinged.”

Recent reports from CBS News have indicated growing US apprehension over the potential for the Israel-Hamas conflict to escalate into a broader Middle East confrontation involving Hezbollah and potentially American forces.

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Shia militia, issued a warning on Wednesday regarding Hezbollah’s readiness for a potential large-scale conflict with Israel, including the possibility of invading its northern territories in case of an escalation. This statement followed the death of one of the group’s senior commanders, Hajj Sami Taleb Abdullah, in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon the previous week.

Nasrallah emphasised that if Israel initiates a new war, there will be no safe haven from Hezbollah’s missiles and drones, promising that such a conflict would have a significant impact on the region’s future. He characterised the ongoing confrontation as the most significant battle since 1948, the year of Israel’s establishment.

Despite calls for restraint from the United States directed at both Israel and Hezbollah, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, recently indicated that his country was on the verge of making a decision that would alter the dynamics of the conflict with Hezbollah and Lebanon. Katz vowed to take strong action against the Shia militia and Lebanon, signalling a potential shift in the situation.