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Biden admin offers cautious support for Lebanon invasion

Washington reiterates it supports Israel’s right to defend itself, but urge ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

By World Israel News Staff

Several prominent Biden administration officials offered cautious support for the Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon which began late Monday evening, though many continued calling for a ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah terror group.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote on social media platform X that he had spoken to his Israeli counterpart, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and expressed his support for an Israeli incursion limited to areas directly adjacent to the border.

“I made it clear that the United States supports Israel’s right to defend itself. We agreed on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border to ensure that Lebanese Hezbollah cannot conduct October 7-style attacks on Israel’s northern communities,” Austin said.

But, he continued, “a diplomatic resolution is required to ensure that civilians can return safely to their homes on both sides of the border.”

Austin did not reference nearly a year of failed talks aimed at achieving such a diplomatic solution.

“I reiterated the serious consequences for Iran in the event Iran chooses to launch a direct military attack against Israel,” he added.

“Israel has a right to defend itself against Hezbollah. If you look at how this conflict across Israel’s northern border started, it was Hezbollah that started launching attacks on Israel on October 8th. And those attacks continued and have continued and are continuing,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Tuesday morning.

“If you look at what the acting leader of Hezbollah said just today, it’s that their attacks on Israel will continue. So Israel has a right to defend itself against those attacks. That includes in targeting terrorist infrastructure inside Lebanon.”

Miller concluded by stressing that Washington “ultimately want to see a diplomatic resolution to conflict in the Middle East that provides long-term security for the people of Israel, the people of Lebanon, and the Palestinian people.”

When asked by a reporter if he was aware that Israel had begun its ground invasion of Lebanon, Biden responded that “I’m more aware than you might know, and I’m comfortable with them stopping. We should have a cease-fire now.”