Hezbollah-Israel war would be catastrophic, US defence chief says

'Diplomacy is by far the best way to prevent more escalation,' Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin says

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, right, and Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon on Tuesday. Getty / AFP

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An all-out war between Hezbollah and Israel would be “catastrophic” for Lebanon, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday.

Mr Austin said Washington is urgently seeking a diplomatic agreement that will allow Israeli and Lebanese civilians to return to their homes.

Fears of a war between Hezbollah and Israel have soared in recent weeks amid a rise in retaliatory shelling across Israel's northern border, leading to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in Lebanon and Israel.

“Hezbollah's provocations threaten to drag the Israeli and Lebanese people into a war that they do not want,” Mr Austin said as he welcomed Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant to the Pentagon.

"Such a war would be a catastrophe for Lebanon and it would be devastating for innocent Israeli and Lebanese civilians.

“Diplomacy is by far the best way to prevent more escalation. So we're urgently seeking a diplomatic agreement that restores lasting calm to Israel's northern border and enables civilians to return safely to their homes on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border.”

Mr Gallant, who earlier met Secretary of State Antony Blinken, said Israel is determined to establish security along its northern border.

But, he warned, “we must also discuss readiness for every possible scenario".

Mr Gallant said Iran, which supports Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, is the world's “greatest threat”.

“Now is the time to materialise the commitment of American administrations over the years: The promise to prevent Iran from possessing nuclear weapons,” he told Mr Austin.

Pentagon spokesman Maj Gen Pat Ryder repeated that diplomacy is the best way to prevent tension between Hezbollah and Israel from escalating into a full-blown war.

“No one wins if there's a broader regional conflict,” he told reporters.

When asked if the US would continue to support Israel in the event of a war with Hezbollah, Maj Gen Ryder said the Pentagon's commitment to Israel and its ability to defend itself is “ironclad”.

“But when it comes to the tensions along the border, when it comes to the broader region, we don't want to see a broader regional conflict,” he said.

“So that will continue to be a primary focus of this department and of this government.”

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