The United States will not be able to help Israel defend itself in a possible all-out war with Hezbollah as it did last April during Iran’s drone attack. The head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Charles Brown, spoke clearly and reiterated that Washington continues to advise Israel to avoid opening a front against southern Lebanon. Iran, the military explained, “will be more inclined to support Hezbollah, especially if they believe it is particularly threatened.” An Israeli military offensive of any kind in Lebanon risks triggering a larger-scale war, and putting American forces in danger. The security of US forces is the Pentagon’s priority.
Meanwhile, two Lebanese ministers have denied the Telegraph’s scoop that the Shiite Hezbollah movement is stockpiling a large quantity of weapons from Iran, including missiles and rockets, at Beirut international airport in view of a possible war with Israel. The Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ali Hamiyeh, close to Hezbollah, reported that he had discussed possible legal measures against the British newspaper with the Prime Minister, Najib Mikati. “This issue is considered part of the psychological war against Lebanon and aims to distort its reputation and that of the airport,” Hamiyeh told state news agency NNA. The Minister of Information, Ziad al-Makari, said that it could be “a promising summer for tourism” in Lebanon, underlining that the intentions of the article “were very clear”. Hamiyeh, meanwhile, invited foreign ambassadors and media to take part in a tour of the airport, along with other Lebanese ministers.
