A regional military escalation is not in Israel's "best interest," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Sunday, as heightening cross-border tensions between Israel and Lebanon have led to fears of an all-out war, AFP reported.
"We don't believe that escalating this military conflict is in their best interest," Kirby said on ABC's "This Week," adding that the United States was "saying this directly to our Israeli counterparts."
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel has in recent days hit Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon in ways it could not imagine.
"If Hezbollah has not understood the message, I promise you, it will understand the message," Netanyahu said, according to a statement from his office.
