Falcon powers – US intelligence has estimated that a large-scale confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah is likely to break out in the coming weeks, if Israel and Hamas fail to reach an agreement to stop the fighting in Gaza.
American officials are trying to persuade the two sides to stop the escalation – a task that would be much easier if a ceasefire in Gaza were in place.
However, there are still tense negotiations underway regarding reaching this agreement, and American officials are doubtful that Israel and Hamas will agree to the proposed deal in the near future.
The American website Politico quoted senior US officials with knowledge of the intelligence information as saying that the Israeli army and Hezbollah have made combat plans and are trying to acquire additional weapons.
Although the two sides, Israel and Hezbollah, have publicly stated that they do not want a war, senior Biden administration officials increasingly believe that a fierce battle is likely to break out despite efforts to try to prevent it.
Politico quoted a senior US official, who requested anonymity in order to speak freely about sensitive intelligence information, as saying that the risk is now higher than ever in recent weeks.
The assessment adopted by US intelligence is slightly more cautious compared to the estimates coming from European countries.
