Reports: US optimistic on Mechanism talks, Netanyahu doesn't intend to go to war
The U.S. is optimistic over the Mechanism meeting that will be held on Friday and will push for a “serious and fruitful dialogue” between Lebanon and Israel, diplomats told the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper.
Several regional diplomatic sources meanwhile agreed, in remarks to the same daily, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not seem to be in favor of going to an all-out war after the holidays, “not only for military reasons, but rather because the war option has become invalid for electoral exploitation as the date of the Israeli legislative elections expected in October nears.”
“Accordingly, Israel is likely to settle for localized strikes against Hezbollah that might take the form of lightning military operations if needed, especially in the Baalbek-Hermel regions, with the aim of keeping Lebanon under calculated security pressure without descending into a comprehensive confrontation,” the sources added.
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