US Told Iran Israel Will Not Escalate Its Strikes in Lebanon

The United States has conveyed a message to Iran that Israel will not escalate its attacks in Lebanon, according to a source familiar with the matter speaking to CNN. When asked whether Washington would provide guarantees, the source said Hezbollah had violated the ceasefire, that Israel had agreed to let the matter rest, and that this was passed on to the Iranians, leaving Hezbollah responsible for stopping the violations.

The report came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the deaths of four fighters in a battle in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu said Israel would “exact a heavy price from Hezbollah.” The account indicates that U.S. diplomacy is aimed at preventing a wider escalation while pressuring Hezbollah to halt the fighting.

The source did not say Israel had made a formal public pledge, but said the message delivered through Washington was that Israel had decided not to broaden the confrontation in Lebanon. The situation remains contingent on Hezbollah’s next steps.