A spokesperson from the National Security Council stated, "We and our partners have been clear: Hezbollah and other actors—state or non-state—should not attempt to exploit the ongoing conflict."
The head of Hezbollah, a potent Iranian-backed Shiite movement, placed responsibility for the ongoing Gaza conflict squarely on the United States and suggested that it could prevent a regional conflagration by halting its ally Israel's attacks.
When asked for a response, the National Security Council spokesperson emphasized, "We will not engage in a war of words."
"The United States does not seek escalation or an expansion of the conflict that Hamas has initiated against Israel," the spokesperson asserted.
He added, "There is the potential for this to escalate into a more devastating conflict between Israel and Lebanon than the one in 2006. The United States wishes to prevent the conflict from spreading into Lebanon. The potential devastation for Lebanon and its people is beyond imagination and can be averted."
