Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant stated that his country does not want a war with the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shiite movement "Hezbollah", adding that the Israeli army is prepared for a possible such conflict, DPA reported.
"We are working on a political solution. This is always the better option," the minister said during a visit to Israeli military units near Israel's northern border with Lebanon, Israeli media reported.
"We are not looking for war, but we are ready for it. If "Hezbollah" choose war, then we know what to do," he added. "If they choose peace, we will respond accordingly," Gallant added.
Since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip, there have been daily cross-border skirmishes between the Israeli army and "Hezbollah". Yesterday, the pro-Iranian movement fired 25 shells and three drones at Israel, according to the Israeli army. No people were injured. But some of the shells have caused forest fires.
The Israeli army said it fired at several Hezbollah launchers.
Recently, the exchange of fire has intensified and several countries have called on their citizens to leave Lebanon. There are fears that a possible open war between Israel and Lebanon could escalate into a major regional conflict involving both Iran and the US.
Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, the administration of US President Joe Biden has sent Israel a huge number of munitions, including more than 10,000 highly destructive 900-kilogram bombs and thousands of "Hellfire" rockets, according to Reuters. quoted by BTA, in its exclusive material, citing two US officials familiar with an updated list of arms deliveries.
Since the start of the war last October, the US has transferred at least 14,900 900 kg MK-84 bombs, 6,500 226 kg bombs, 3,500 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, 1,000 bombs for bunker busters, 2,600 small-diameter aerial bombs, as well as other munitions, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
While officials did not provide a timeline for the deliveries, the overall numbers suggest there has been no significant drop in US military support for its ally despite international calls to curb arms sales and the administration's recent decision to halt the delivery of powerful bombs , Reuters points out.
According to experts, the contents of the shipments correspond to what Israel would need to replenish the supplies used in the eight-month intensive military campaign in Gaza, which began after the October 7 attack by the Palestinian fighters of "Hamas" , who killed 1,200 people and took 250 people hostage, according to Israeli figures.
Reuters noted that the White House and the Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The shipments are just part of a larger list of weapons sent to Israel since the start of the Gaza conflict, one US official said. A senior Biden administration official told reporters on Wednesday that Washington has sent $6.5 billion worth of weapons to Israel since October 7.
International attention on Israel's military operation in Gaza has intensified as the number of Palestinians killed in the war has surpassed 37,000, according to Gaza's health ministry, and the coastal enclave is in ruins, Reuters commented.
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Washington provides annual military aid to its longtime ally Israel to the tune of $3.8 billion. Although Biden has warned that he will place conditions on military aid if Israel fails to protect civilians and begin allowing more humanitarian aid into Gaza, he has so far failed to do so.
Biden's support for Israel in its war against "Hamas" has become a political issue, especially among young Democrats. It caused a wave of protest votes in the Democratic Party primaries and sparked pro-Palestinian protests at American universities.
The United States has provided detailed descriptions of the type and amounts of military aid sent to Ukraine, which is fighting a full-scale invasion by Russia, but the administration has released few details about the full scope of American weapons and ammunition sent to Israel, Reuters said.< /p>