US backs Israel's operations in Lebanon despite risk of expanding conflict

By Simon Lewis and Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Biden administration believes it is appropriate for Israel to continue with its ground and air attacks on Hezbollah for now, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Thursday, even as he acknowledged the risk of the operation in Lebanon expanding beyond Israel's current aims.

Israel sent troops into southern Lebanon on Tuesday after two weeks of intense airstrikes in a worsening conflict that has drawn in Iran and risks sucking in the United States.

Speaking at a regular press briefing, Miller said the nature of all conflicts was "fluid" and "unpredictable" and therefore it was impossible to say how long it would take Israel to achieve its stated goal of clearing Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon, allowing it to return Israelis displaced from their homes across the border by months of rocket fire.

"We do ultimately want to see a ceasefire and diplomatic resolution, but we do think it's appropriate that Israel, at this point, is bringing terrorists to justice," Miller said.

Washington has repeatedly warned Israel against escalating the conflict, but a three-week ceasefire proposal put forward by the U.S. and other countries last week was quickly dismissed by Israel in favor of intensified operations.

More than 1.2 million Lebanese have been displaced by Israeli attacks, and nearly 2,000 people have been killed since the start of the Israeli attacks on Lebanon over the last year, most of them in the past two weeks, Lebanese authorities said.

The United States has continued to provide Israel with arms despite tensions during the past year over the conduct of its war in Gaza, which started when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Washington has raised concerns about the civilian toll of that conflict and at times urged Israel to restrain its forces to calm international outrage.

U.S. officials have discussed with Israel its goals in the Hezbollah conflict, which at this time involves conducting "limited incursions" on the ground in Lebanon while targeting Hezbollah militants inside the country with airstrikes, Miller said.

"All of us here are very cognizant of the long history of Israel launching what at the time were described as limited operations across the Lebanese border that have turned into something much different - that have turned into full-scale wars and at times occupation," Miller said, adding that the U.S. would watch how the conflict unfolds and make assessments in real time.

Israel has invaded Lebanon on multiple occasions, including in a 1982 offensive sparked by tit-for-tat border fire during which Israeli forces entered Beirut and which led to the creation of Hezbollah.

"I don't know what's going to happen. I dare say the Israelis probably don't know what's going to happen at this point," Miller said. "It's not to say that they don't have a plan. It's not to say that they don't have objectives. It's to say that conflicts are unpredictable."

(Reporting by Simon Lewis and Humeyra Pamuk; editing by Jonathan Oatis)