US General Cautions Iran Still a Threat as Hezbollah, Israel Step Back From Escalation
The risk of a wider war in the Middle East has lessened after Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire in recent days, but US military officials remain concerned about the potential for escalation if Iran follows through on its threats to strike Israel. Air Force General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, offered this assessment on Monday after returning from a three-day trip to the region, which included a visit to Israel during heightened tensions.
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
The Media Line's intrepid correspondents are in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan providing first-person reporting.
They all said they cover it.
We see it.
We report with just one agenda: the truth.
The exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel occurred last week, with Hezbollah launching rockets and drones at northern Israel, prompting retaliatory strikes by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. This marked one of the largest confrontations between the two sides in over 10 months, but it ended without significant damage or further retaliation. Brown emphasized that while the immediate threat has eased, Iran still poses a danger due to its threats to retaliate for the recent killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran.
Brown noted that any future conflict would depend on how Iran responds, and he also raised concerns about Iran’s proxies in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, who have attacked US forces in the past. The US has bolstered its military presence in the region, positioning aircraft carrier strike groups and additional fighter jets to support both Israel and its own forces.
