The White House has called on Israel and Lebanon to put a high priority on restoring calm after new deadly border crossfire and Israeli attacks targeting Hezbollah.
"Restoring calm along that border remains a top priority for President Biden and for the administration and it has to be of utmost importance, we believe, as well for both Lebanon and Israel,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
On Wednesday, Lebanon had the highest death toll since the war on Gaza began in October with at least 14 people killed. Hezbollah said it launched dozens of rockets at Kiryat Shmona, an Israeli town over the border, early on Wednesday in response to deadly Israeli strikes on the village of Hebbariyeh in southern Lebanon a day earlier.
Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been trading fire across the border since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in Gaza, in the biggest escalation between the old enemies since a month-long conflict in 2006.