Israel and Lebanon informed the White House on Monday that they remain committed to the ceasefire agreement despite recent border tensions, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Axios.
The Biden administration has expressed concern that the ceasefire in Lebanon could collapse following recent exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, US officials quoted in the report said.
Privately, the administration has raised concerns with Israel regarding some of its recent strikes in Lebanon. "The Israelis have been playing a dangerous game in recent days," a US official told Axios.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit announced on Monday evening that the IAF struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, just hours after the IDF attacked in the south of the country.
The wave of strikes came in response to Hezbollah's violation of the ceasefire after two mortar shells were fired from Lebanon at Mount Dov, without casualties. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the shooting.
Israel has carried out multiple strikes targeting Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon after the terrorist group violated the ceasefire, which went into effect last week.
Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer met with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan at the White House on Monday and reiterated Israel's desire to uphold the ceasefire, according to an Israeli official and a source with knowledge of the meeting.
Sullivan acknowledged Israel's right to self-defense under international law when facing direct threats from Lebanon, the source said.
Separately, President Joe Biden's senior adviser Amos Hochstein held discussions with Israeli and Lebanese officials on Monday.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the ceasefire, the source told Axios. Hochstein emphasized that any violations of the agreement should be reported to the US-led ceasefire monitoring mechanism established under the agreement to ensure they are addressed effectively.