Escalations between Israel and Hezbollah are rapidly intensifying, threatening regional stability and increasing the risk of direct U.S. military involvement.
From October 7, 2023, to June 21, 2024, Israel, Hezbollah, and other armed groups in Lebanon exchanged over 7,400 cross-border attacks, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project reported. This surge in violence has displaced nearly 200,000 Lebanese and Israeli civilians, creating immense humanitarian suffering on both sides of the border.
To de-escalate tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, a ceasefire in Gaza is imperative.
These incidents are not isolated but part of a broader pattern of cascading regional violence since the Israel-Gaza war erupted. It’s time Congress and the Biden administration take immediate action to de-escalate the violence and prevent unauthorized U.S. military participation in a disastrous war.
Risks of regional war and U.S. involvement
The stakes are high. Israel’s military has stated that it has “approved and validated” plans for a full offensive against Hezbollah that could trigger a large-scale ground invasion and further civilian displacement. The United States has offered “assurances” to Israel, promising “more direct military support” if Israel comes under “severe duress.”
The recent positioning of three U.S. warships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea signals a readiness to intervene. General CQ Brown, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, has cautioned that an Israeli military offensive into Lebanon could endanger American forces in the region and potentially provoke further involvement by Iran, escalating the conflict into a broader regional war with deadly consequences.
A Gaza ceasefire is needed to de-escalate tensions
To de-escalate tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, a ceasefire in Gaza is imperative.
Hezbollah has explicitly stated it will continue its assaults unless Israel ceases its invasion of Gaza and will only stop attacks if there is a ceasefire. However, Israeli officials have thus far rejected a permanent ceasefire, insisting they will continue their military campaign against Hamas indefinitely even after the return of hostages.
Now is a crucial moment for lawmakers to advocate for peace and prevent a regional war. There’s no time to spare.
The Gaza war has already caused one of the worst humanitarian crises on the planet, killing at least 37,000 Palestinians and pushing hundreds of thousands more to the brink of starvation. A recent study from The Lancet suggests that the total death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza, including indirect deaths, could exceed 186,000.
Immediate action is needed to stop the violence and provide humanitarian aid to the affected populations to prevent further loss of life and suffering.
A ceasefire in Gaza is the only way to end this humanitarian catastrophe and prevent a full-blown regional war involving the U.S., Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran.
In the face of escalating violence, Congress and the Biden Administration must publicly call for diplomacy, not war, to achieve regional de-escalation between Israel and Hezbollah and an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza that stops the humanitarian crisis and brings hostages home.
It is also essential to prohibit more offensive weapons shipments and U.S. military involvement, which would send a message of impunity to the Israeli government in the face of repeated and grave violations of U.S. and international law in Gaza and beyond.
Now is a crucial moment for lawmakers to advocate for peace and prevent a regional war that would have devastating consequences. There’s no time to spare
