Border activity: US Ambassador tours Israel-Lebanon border and Gaza frontlines

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Amid heightened Israeli threats and intensified overnight strikes in Lebanon, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz toured Israel's northern frontier on Tuesday, accompanied by Israel's Ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, and military officials. 

The visit extended from the Lebanese border to the Syrian frontier, before Waltz continued by helicopter to Gaza.

Along the Lebanese border, Waltz received briefings on Hezbollah's activities and the operation of U.N. peacekeepers in the area. According to officials familiar with the visit, he conveyed Washington's message that the United States does not want further escalation that could push the region into a broader conflict.

However, Israeli officials used the visit to outline their concerns, presenting assessments that they will not tolerate continued military build-up by Hezbollah along the border. They stressed that a large-scale military operation, beyond the targeted strikes underway, is still under consideration.

Israeli media reported that the latest strikes in South Lebanon and areas north of the Litani River, nearly 30 kilometers from the border, were launched to preempt an operation Hezbollah was allegedly planning under the cover of severe weather conditions. The Israeli army said the targets included a training camp for the Radwan Forces and other military sites.

Security and military officials also presented Israeli decision-makers with proposals for addressing the Lebanon front, including establishing a new border demarcation and creating what they called a "death zone" buffer area on the Lebanese side.

While the Lebanon front dominated Waltz's discussions, Israeli officials said the visit reflects deep American involvement in both the Israeli-Lebanese and Israeli-Gaza arenas. They described it as an opportunity to reinforce Israel's red lines regarding Hezbollah and to prepare for the next phase of former U.S. President Donald Trump's Gaza plan.