Media cites conflicting assessments on whether Israel-Lebanon front is heading to war

Hezbollah’s response to an impending Israeli strike in Lebanon will determine the extent of escalation in the north, an Israeli official tells Haaretz.

“We will have to wait and see,” says the official, shortly after the security cabinet met to determine Israel’s course of action after Saturday’s rocket strike in the Golan that killed 12 children.

Western diplomats tell the paper that there is a significant effort to head off an Israeli reaction that will spark a full-blown war in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, a security official tells the Israel Hayom daily that though there may be several days of significant escalation, Israel is not interested in a war against Hezbollah right now. The goal is to effect a strategic change in the north.

Officials also believe that Israel’s response in the north will affect hostage talks, but they are not sure the direction — whether it will spur Hezbollah and Iran to push Hamas into a deal, or the opposite, says Israel Hayom.

Channel 12 news reports that Israel is considering various alternatives, all of which could hurt Hezbollah more than Israel has thus far, but which could also affect other fronts. The network says the next few days could be significant and intense.

It cites a security source saying the need to exact a price from Hezbollah currently trumps the fear of all-out war, and that all top security and political officials agree on need to strike hard. The army is ready “at the push of a button,” it claims, adding that Jerusalem is considering striking non-Hezbollah strategic targets in Lebanon.

Channel 12 reports that some in the ongoing discussions, such as far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, favor full-on war, but Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and others disagree.

The network also cites an unnamed diplomatic source as saying “war is also on the table,” though it notes it does not know how serious this intention is.