Donald Trump would have approved an Israeli military escalation scenario in Lebanon if Hezbollah entered a new war in support of Iran. This claim is made by anonymous US diplomatic sources quoted by Nidaa al-Watan on Monday, 2 November. It is not an official announcement by the US presidency.
According to these sources, the US administration has reportedly warned the Lebanese authorities of the consequences of another Hizbullah intervention. The green light lent to the US President would concern a large-scale operation, going beyond the southern border areas alone. The triggering of this scenario remains linked, in the narrative reported, to the involvement of the movement in the war.
Trump would have approved an escalation to Saida
The scenario describes an Israeli advance north of the Awali River and the takeover of Nabatiyah, Tyre and Saida. It also includes a blockade of Rafic Hariri International Airport and Beirut and Tripoli ports. The country’s air and sea access routes would thus be affected, beyond the southern combat sectors.
The same sources refer to massive destruction in the southern suburbs of Beirut, even using the term « scratch from the map ». These statements describe a threat reported by anonymous interlocutors, not an objective publicly claimed by the US authorities.
A conditional warning, not a announced decision
The central element of this information is therefore Donald Trump’s support for such an escalation. There is no official document or public statement by the US President to support the elements reported. The identity of the diplomats mentioned and the terms of the warning given to Beirut are not specified.
This distinction is important in assessing the scope of the message: it is a scenario presented as possible in case of Hezbollah intervention, not the announcement of a decided or already committed offensive. The available information does not specify any military timetable or deadline to the Lebanese authorities.
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