Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah gives a televised address, Lebanon, September 19, 2024, in this screenshot taken from a video.
“I don’t see how this doesn’t go much wider soon,” said one senior Western official.
Hezbollah will almost certainly respond, according to Jonathan Panikoff, a former senior intelligence official specializing in the region, and Iran is likely to play a role.
A senior US official said the US believes Iran will intervene in the conflict if they judge that they are about to “lose” Hezbollah.
US officials have long assessed that senior Hezbollah leadership has wanted to avoid all-out war with Israel, even as fighting has intensified in recent months.
Persons:
Hassan Nasrallah, Joe Biden’s, “, ”, Jonathan Panikoff, ” Panikoff, Nasrallah, Mick Mulroy
Organizations:
Reuters, Western, US, Hezbollah, Israel, Middle, Defense Department
Locations:
Lebanon, Beirut, Iran, Tehran, Israel