They discussed a wide range of topics including the situation on Israel’s northern border, Iran and the ceasefire and hostage negotiations, sources said.
Since Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, Hezbollah’s provocations against Israel have continued – and escalated in recent weeks.
If Hezbollah were to significantly expand the scale of its attacks on Israel, resulting in the deaths of Israelis, US officials expect Israel to respond with full force.
As CNN reported, US officials have serious concerns that in the event of a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group could overwhelm Israel’s air defenses in the north — including the much-vaunted Iron Dome air defense system.
In this week’s meetings, US and Israeli officials discussed possible “off-ramps” to try to lower the temperature along the so-called Blue Line that separates Lebanon and Israel, the senior administration official said.
Persons:
Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ron Dermer, Tzachi Hanegbi, Jake Sullivan, Antony Blinken, Brett McGurk, Israel, Amos Hochstein
Organizations:
CNN — Senior, Hezbollah, Top, Strategic, Biden, White, CNN
Locations:
Washington, Israel, Iran, Lebanon