CNN sources: Israel's potential ground invasion into Lebanon rings alarms

CNN reported on Thursday that American administration and intelligence officials are concerned that Israel is planning a ground invasion into Lebanon that could be launched in late spring or early summer.

The invasion would occur if diplomatic efforts fail to push Hezbollah back from the northern border with Israel, senior administration officials and officials familiar with the intelligence said.

While a final Israeli decision has yet to be made, the worry is acute enough inside the Biden administration that the prospect of an incursion has made its way into intelligence briefings for senior administration officials, according to one person who received a briefing and was told an operation could happen early summer.

"We are operating in the assumption that an Israeli military operation is in the upcoming months," one senior Biden administration official said. "Not necessarily imminently in the next few weeks, but perhaps later this spring. An Israeli military operation is a distinct possibility."

"There are fears this will grow to an expansive air campaign reaching much further north into populated areas of Lebanon and eventually grow to a ground component as well," another person familiar with the US intelligence said.

The US intelligence community has been "ringing alarm bells," the person added.

Israel's top general visited the northern border Tuesday and said that Hezbollah "must pay a heavy price" for its actions since October 7.

"It's clear that the first thing we must do is push back the enemy. Then, create a very strong barrier," said Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.

During a meeting in Israel earlier this month, Hochstein met with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who said: "We are ready to resolve this crisis via diplomatic understandings; however, we are also prepared for any other scenario."

Israeli officials have acknowledged that a war with Hezbollah would be far more costly and devastating to Israel than the current war with Hamas, given the size and more advanced nature of Hezbollah's arsenal.

"Israel has been willing to give diplomacy a chance and hope it will succeed," an Israeli official said to CNN. "If the issue cannot be resolved diplomatically, Israel will have to consider alternate means."

An agreement that simply pushes Hezbollah back from the border may also not be enough for Israel, the first administration official argued.

A ground incursion would give Israel a chance to "mow the grass" and destroy Hezbollah's physical infrastructure in the south, which would at least slow a future return to the border area.

 

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