The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said this evening that it had approved plans for an offensive in Lebanon amid escalating cross-border clashes with militants from the Lebanese Shia movement "Hezbollah", France Press reported, BTA reported.
"Operational plans for the Lebanon offensive have been approved and confirmed," the army said in a brief statement after a "situation assessment" meeting held today. The meeting was attended by Major General Ori Gordin, who is the commander of the Northern Military Region, as well as Major General Oded Basiuk, head of the "Operations" Directorate. to the General Staff of the IDF.
The news immediately sparked a reaction from the US, with the Pentagon stressing that no one wants a wider regional war to break out in the Middle East.
"I don't want to get into hypotheses and make assumptions about what might come next. I can only say that no one wants a wider regional war,'' US military spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said, as quoted by Reuters.