The United States fears an escalation in the Middle East more than ever. While the UN is working frantically to avoid a catastrophe in Lebanon, the White House has said it is "very concerned" about the Hezbollah missile launched against Tel Aviv. "The possibility of a large-scale war exists," Joe Biden admitted , while still saying he is convinced that there is still room for a diplomatic solution in the region.
In light of the deteriorating situation, the US has already deployed dozens of troops to Cyprus, which is preparing for a series of eventualities, including the possible evacuation of American citizens from Lebanon . The main American concern, according to what a US official told CNN, is a possible involvement of Iran in the clash with Israel: for now Tehran has not intervened but the fear is that it will enter the field if it believes it is about to lose its most powerful ally in the region, Hezbollah.
“We are working tirelessly” to prevent a major war between Israel and Hezbollah, Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured. “What we are focused on now is a plan to lower tensions,” he added. Some of the American proposals to calm the situation could be discussed at the Special Security Council on Lebanon. In the country, according to the United Nations, 90,000 people have already been displaced this week alone by the deluge of Israeli fire. Lebanese Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein instead denounced nearly half a million.
At the UN Assembly, the Middle East, along with Ukraine, is the dominant theme and the intense negotiations to try to avoid a spiral demonstrate this . According to indiscretions by Chanel 12, "there is a significant possibility of a two- to four-week ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel."
This is precisely one of the reasons why Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will fly to New York, where - unless there are dramatic changes to the program if the situation were to worsen - he will address the General Assembly on Friday. His arrival will probably be accompanied by protests : in fact, the Big Apple is home to Columbia University, one of the universities where the largest pro-Gaza student demonstrations in America have taken place. A possible Israeli invasion of Lebanon in the midst of the General Assembly would add fuel to the fire.
(Online Union)