Top US general states risk of broader war eases after Israel-Hezbollah exchange: Reuters

The near-term risk of a broader war in the Middle East has eased somewhat after Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire without further escalation but Iran still poses a significant danger as it weighs a strike on Israel, America's top general said on Monday.

Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke to Reuters after emerging from a three-day trip to the Middle East that saw him fly into Israel just hours after Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel, and Israel's military struck Lebanon to thwart a larger attack.

Brown noted Hezbollah's strike was just one of two major threatened attacks against Israel that emerged in recent weeks. Iran is also threatening an attack over the killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran last month.

Asked if the immediate risk of a regional war had declined, Brown said: "Somewhat, yes."

"You had two things you knew were going to happen. One's already happened. Now it depends on how the second is going to play out," Brown said.

"How Iran responds will dictate how Israel responds, which will dictate whether there is going to be a broader conflict or not."

Brown also cautioned that there was also the risk posed by Iran's militant allies in places such as Iraq, Syria and Jordan who have attacked US troops as well as Yemen's Houthis, who have targeted Red Sea shipping and even fired drones at Israel.

"And do these others actually go off and do things on their own because they're not satisfied - the Houthis in particular," Brown said, calling the Shia group the "wild card."

Brown said the US military was better positioned to aid in the defense of Israel, and its own forces in the Middle East, than it was on April 13, when Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, unleashing hundreds of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.

"We're better postured," Brown said. He noted Sunday's decision to maintain two aircraft carrier strike groups in the Middle East, as well as extra squadron of F-22 fighter jets.

"We try to improve upon what we did in April."

Brown said whatever plans Iran's military might have, it would be up to Iran's political leaders to make a decision.

"They want to do something that sends a message but they also, I think ... don't want to do something that's going to create a broader conflict."

Reuters