Absent Gaza truce, US renews efforts to calm Israel’s northern border amid heavy Hezbollah attacks

Senior officials of the Biden administration met with Israeli officials in a virtual meeting on Tuesday to explore options to calm the tensions on Israel’s northern border, where Hezbollah has been intensifying its attacks against Israel once again.

According to the Axios news site, the United States convened the meeting to “take the pulse on the Israeli side” and coordinate the approach to the situation in Lebanon.

After a temporary lull in attacks following the IDF’s pre-emptive strike, which prevented a planned large-scale attack on Israel, Hezbollah resumed its airstrikes, returning to the high frequency seen before the escalation.

An Israeli official told Axios that the talks focused on how to de-escalate tensions in the likely scenario that there would not be a truce in the Gaza war. The Biden administration had hoped that a hostage deal with Hamas would also lead to a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The goal remains a long-term diplomatic agreement between Israel, Hezbollah, and the Lebanese government to prevent a potentially devastating full-blown war, which is feared could draw in the entire region and escalate into a regional conflict.

Israel’s main demand is a full withdrawal of Hezbollah forces from a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) broad strip along the border, along with a mechanism to verify the pull-back and prevent the terror group's return.

In the event Hezbollah forces do return, Israel demands that the U.S. would promise to support a military operation against Hezbollah, according to Axios.

The one-hour meeting was reportedly attended by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Biden’s advisors, Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk. The Israeli team was led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah continued attacking Israel throughout Thursday. In the morning, five drones were fired toward Israel, two of which were shot down over Lebanese territory. Another was intercepted near Ramot Naftali, while two others exploded near Manara and Ya’ara.

Later on Thursday, five rockets were fired at Ramot Naftali, most of which were intercepted, however, one exploded in the area, damaging a chicken coop, a house and a cemetery.

לוחמי ההגנה האווירית יירטו לפני זמן קצר שתי מטרות אוויריות חשודות שעשו את דרכן לשטח הארץ משטח לבנון, המטרות לא חצו לעבר שטח הארץ, לא הופעלו התרעות על פי מדיניות, אין נפגעים.

בנוסף, צה"ל תקף תשתית צבאית של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחב קאנא שבדרום לבנון pic.twitter.com/qObo8qZm31

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) September 5, 2024

Another drone was later downed by Israeli aerial defenses near Dovev. Two more drones were intercepted over Lebanese territory shortly after, according to Israel Defense Forces.

On Thursday, Israel’s State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman reminded Israel’s leadership not to neglect the north, as he visited schools in areas that haven’t been evacuated but have, nevertheless, been fired upon numerous times.

“Resources must be allocated in the shadow of ongoing tensions. We are in a school that maintains a routine of learning under fire. It is an anchor for the children, the parents, and the teachers,” said Englman.

He mentioned a sixth-grade student who told him she had moved eight times over the last year.

“Another child witnessed a missile fall near him that injured his father. Miraculously he survived,” he said. “The north must receive all the resources and the attention of the government and the ministers.”