US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday that the United States is urgently seeking to reach a diplomatic agreement that would allow Israeli and Lebanese civilians to return to their homes on both sides of the border, warning that the outbreak of war between the Lebanese Hezbollah group and Israel would be devastating. .

Austin added at the beginning of his meeting with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant at the headquarters of the US Department of Defense (the Pentagon): “Hezbollah’s provocations threaten to drag the Israeli and Lebanese people into a war they do not want. Such a war would be a disaster for Lebanon, and would be devastating to innocent Israeli and Lebanese civilians.” ".

He continued: “Diplomacy is the best way to prevent further escalation. Therefore, we are urgently seeking to reach a diplomatic agreement that will restore permanent calm to Israel’s northern border, and enable civilians to return safely to their homes on both sides of the Israeli-Lebanese border.”

At the beginning of the meeting, Gallant said, “We are working closely together to reach an agreement, but we must also discuss preparation for all possible scenarios.”

Gallant visits Washington after a week of tension between the United States and Israel, against the backdrop of criticism leveled by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the delay in the arrival of American weapons.

While US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Tuesday that the Israeli Defense Minister informed US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Monday that Israel prefers a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Hezbollah.

Gallant stressed that “Israel’s ties with the United States are more important than ever.”

The United States is leading persistent attempts to prevent the expansion of the war that Israel is waging in Gaza to the northern front, as Tel Aviv threatens to take a major step against Hezbollah.

Israel prefers a “diplomatic solution”

For his part, Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi said that Israel will try in the coming weeks to resolve the conflict with the Hezbollah group, and that it prefers to reach a “diplomatic solution.”

Hanjbi added that Israel discussed with American officials the possibility that an expected end to the intensified Israeli military operations in Gaza would allow an “arrangement” to be reached with “Hezbollah.”

Tension in the Middle East worsened due to the war that broke out on the 7th of last October in the Gaza Strip, as the Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel exchanged cross-border bombing on an almost daily basis.

Last week, the Israeli army announced “the approval of operational plans for an attack in Lebanon,” while Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah warned the next day that no place in Israel “will not be safe” from his party’s missiles in the event of a war.< /p>