Washington does not believe war between Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel is inevitable, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday, after Tel Aviv carried out a strike on Beirut, as the top U.S. defense chief said they would defend Israel in case of an attack.
"We believe that it can still be avoided," she said, adding that the U.S. does not want to see an escalation.
"We want to work and focus on getting that diplomatic solution along the Blue Line and that is important.
"We want to see these attacks from Hezbollah end and for all Israelis and also Lebanese citizens on both sides of the border to be able to return home," said Jean-Pierre.
The U.S. will defend Israel in the event of an attack by Hezbollah, defense chief Lloyd Austin said Tuesday.
"If Israel is attacked, yes, we will help Israel defend itself. We've been clear about that from the very beginning," Austin told reporters in the Philippines.
Austin said he does not believe "a fight is inevitable," and the U.S. wants to see "things resolved in a diplomatic fashion."
The defense chief said the U.S. remains concerned about the potential for a conflict between Israel and Lebanon to escalate into a full fight.
His remarks came after an Israeli strike in the vicinity of Hezbollah Shura Council headquarters in Haret Hreik.
State-run National News Agency reported that the attack was carried out with an Israeli drone, which fired three missiles into a building in Beirut's southern suburb, destroying two floors.
The Israeli army confirmed the strike, claiming it targeted a Hezbollah commander responsible for Saturday's missile attack that killed 12 people in the town of Druze in Majdal Shams in Israel-occupied Golan Heights.
While Israel blamed Hezbollah for Saturday's attack, the Lebanese group denied any responsibility.
Fears have grown about a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah amid an exchange of cross-border attacks between the two sides.
The escalation comes against the backdrop of a deadly Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 39,300 victims since October.
The State Department said the US would continue to support diplomacy to avoid escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.
"We have been in continuous discussions with Israeli and Lebanese counterparts since the incident over the weekend, and the United States is going to continue to support efforts to reach a diplomatic solution along the Blue Line," deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.
The Blue Line demarcates Israel from Lebanon and the Golan Heights.
His remarks came after Israel said it carried out a strike in Beirut on Tuesday against the Lebanese group's commander it said was responsible for a strike in the town of Druze in Majdal Shams in Israel-occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 children Saturday.
"We're continuing to work toward a diplomatic resolution that would allow Israeli and Lebanese civilians to return to their homes and live in peace and security. We certainly want to avoid any kind of escalation, and that is exactly why we continue to remain so deeply focused on diplomacy," said Patel.
Stressing that diplomacy is "the best path forward," he added: "We think that is the best way right now to calm tensions along the Blue Line and to create conditions that will allow civilians to return home."
