The US warns Israel of the risks of a full-scale war with Hezbollah, the Financial Times reports.

The United States issued a final warning to Israel against launching a full-scale war with Hezbollah on September 22, 2024, when the Lebanese militant group and Israeli troops engaged in some of the heaviest firefights since October 7, 2023.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby has warned Israel that it needs to find more effective ways to return Israeli citizens to their homes in the north than to engage in military action and risk escalating the conflict, the Financial Times reports.

“We do not believe that a military confrontation, and we have made that clear to our Israeli counterparts, is in their interest,” Kirby said. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called his Israeli counterpart on Sept. 21 to emphasize “the importance of reaching a diplomatic solution” and to express concern for the safety of U.S. citizens in the region, the Pentagon said.

Despite calls from the international community to avoid escalating the conflict, Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his intention to maintain military pressure on Hezbollah.

“We have dealt Hezbollah several surprise blows in the last few days. If Hezbollah has not received the message, I guarantee you that it will,” the Israeli prime minister said.

Israel has expanded its strategic objectives in the Gaza war to return 60,000 evacuees from northern Israel to their homes, which have become a constant target for Hezbollah. This has resulted in a series of attacks on the group, including the bombing of pagers and other equipment.

The United States and Jordan have therefore urged their citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible using available commercial flights.