Biden White House attempted to pressure Israel into limiting scope of Lebanon ground operation by leaking details of the incursion, senior Israeli official claims.
By David Rosenberg, World Israel News
The Biden administration leaked details of Israel’s ground operation in southern Lebanon in a bid to pressure Jerusalem into limiting the scope and duration of the incursion, a senior Israeli official has claimed.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official told Israel’s Kan News Tuesday morning that while the U.S. has given its blessing for a limited ground operation in southern Lebanon to root out Hezbollah forces and to secure Israel’s northern border, the Biden administration is pressuring Israel to “limit” the operation.
According to the official, the White House leaked information regarding the operation itself, a “dangerous” move which he said endangered Israeli troops.
“We didn’t like that. It’s clear to us that the U.S. is concerned — which is why they have ‘tricks’ to try and limit this matter,” the official said.
The leak allegations may refer to comments by a senior American official who told media outlets Monday that Israel was preparing for an operation in Lebanon, emphasizing that the incursion would be “limited.”
Earlier on Tuesday, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told foreign media outlets that the IDF is in the midst of a series of “limited and targeted raids” along the Israel-Lebanon border, targeting Hezbollah positions.
“These localized ground raids will target Hezbollah strongholds that threaten Israeli towns, kibbutzim, and communities along our border.”
Hagari added that the Israeli operation was planned in response to intelligence suggesting Hezbollah was preparing an invasion of northern Israel mirroring Hamas’ invasion on October 7th.
“Hezbollah turned Lebanese villages near the Israeli border into military bases, all ready for an attack on Israel.”
“Hezbollah had prepared to use those villages as a staging ground for an October 7th-style invasion of Israeli homes.”
The IDF last month said that it had killed members of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force allegedly responsible for the planned invasion of northern Israel.