U.S. official: Washington told Israel it cannot bomb its way to Lebanon solution

A U.S. official confirmed to i24NEWS that Washington asked Israel to limit its response to the incident in which two IDF soldiers were killed in Lebanon, saying 'you can't shoot and bomb your way to a solution.' The statement highlights ongoing U.S. efforts to restrain Israeli military operations amid diplomatic talks.

A U.S. official familiar with the Israel-Lebanon negotiations told i24NEWS on Thursday that Washington has conveyed to Jerusalem that military force alone cannot achieve a diplomatic resolution. The official confirmed reports that the U.S. asked Israel to limit its response to the incident in which two IDF soldiers were killed in Lebanon on Wednesday, saying: 'We told the Israelis that you can't shoot and bomb your way to a solution with Lebanon.'

The comment adds to a series of reported U.S. efforts to moderate Israeli military operations in Lebanon. The Zioneer has previously reported on U.S. requests to scale back operations, including a June 15 report that Israel was asked to reduce operations during a call between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Vice President Vance, and a June 17 report that the U.S. urged a total halt to preserve an emerging deal. On June 19, the Israeli ambassador announced a halt to offensive fire as of 18:30, though the IDF continued defensive operations.

It remains unclear whether the current request will be accepted by Jerusalem, and how it might affect the ongoing military and diplomatic campaign against Hezbollah.

• Developing12:58 · 23 JunU.S. reportedly restricts IDF offensive operations in southern Lebanon as Israeli official says credit has run out
• Developing20:14 · 15 JunIsrael reportedly asked by Trump administration to scale back Lebanon operations
• Developing12:31 · 17 JunUS reportedly urges Israel to fully refrain from Lebanon operations to preserve emerging deal
• Strong09:01 · 19 JunIran's Khamenei warns US: 'Don't be complacent' as Israel strikes southern Lebanon

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