Biden Administration Hesitation to Intervene in Israel-Hezbollah Crisis Amid Risk of Regional War

The Biden administration is exercising caution as tensions between Israel and Hezbollah escalate, adopting a more hands-off approach to Middle East diplomacy in hopes of avoiding a broader regional conflict. With the situation rapidly deteriorating following Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah attacks, US officials have opted for restraint, wars that active involvement could exacerbate the crisis rather than resolve it.

Over the past week, the situation has intensified, with Israeli forces targeting Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, and Hezbollah responding with violence. Explosions of the militant group’s communication devices and an Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil, raising fears of a full-blown conflict between Israel and its enemies in the region. Despite these developments, the Biden administration has refrained from full-on crisis diplomacy, marking a shift from the more interventionist US stance of previous years.

Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, criticized the US approach, noting that Washington appears to be reacting to events rather than driving them. “The United States looks like a deer in the headlights right now,” he said. “In terms of words, deeds, and action, it’s not driving events, it’s reacting to events.”

There has been limited public acknowledgment of contact between the US and Israeli officials since Amos Hochstein, a senior White House official, visited Israel earlier in the week. His visit came before a series of explosions targeting Hezbollah, widely believed to have been carried out by Israeli forces, though Israel has not confirmed responsibility. The following day, Israeli forces conducted an airstrike on a densely populated area of ​​Beirut, killing at least 31 people, including women and children, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

US officials have sought to distance themselves from these recent events, particularly given the delicate ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who visited Egypt this week, has been cautious about publicly engaging with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid concerns that direct US involvement could provoke Netanyahu to undermine peace efforts.

The escalation complicates the already fragile Gaza ceasefire talks, which the Biden administration views as critical to stabilizing the region. President Joe Biden expressed cautious optimism on Friday, telling reporters that his team continues to press for a deal. “A lot of things don’t look realistic until we get them done,” Biden said. “We have to keep at it.”

However, the administration’s reluctance to comment on the escalating Israel-Hezbollah conflict reflects growing anxiety over the potential for a wider war. US officials have been careful not to take a firm public stance, recognizing that such a move could inflame tensions. The administration is aware of the precariousness of the situation, with one senior US official noting that public statements could do more harm than good.

Despite this, the Biden administration has maintained behind-the-scenes engagement. The US is reportedly working with mediators from Qatar and Egypt to finalize a Gaza proposal that could be presented to Israel and Hamas. “We’re still going to keep the shoulder to the wheel,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. “We’re still going to keep trying on this.”

Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has been in communication with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant. Although Gallant’s position in the Israeli government is reportedly under threat, Austin’s outreach underscores the ongoing US commitment to supporting Israel’s security. Yet, the restraint in public discourse highlights a growing sense of frustration within Washington’s foreign policy circles.

Critics argue that the US approach has failed to yield results. The administration’s efforts to broker a Gaza ceasefire have been repeatedly outpaced by the rapid expansion of the conflict, and analysts like Katulis believe that more aggressive diplomatic intervention is necessary. “The administration could do more diplomatically,” he said, suggesting that the US should work harder to rally Middle Eastern nations to put pressure on Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah to halt the violence.

Despite these criticisms, US officials deny that they have given up on achieving a Gaza ceasefire or containing the violence between Israel and Hezbollah. “Ain’t nobody giving up,” Kirby reiterated. Yet, with no immediate resolution in sight, the administration’s current approach appears to be focused on preventing the conflict from spiraling into an all-out regional war.