Israel's War-or-Not Framing Preserves Diplomacy While Casualties Mount in Lebanese Cities

On June 19, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 15 people in southern Lebanon, including in Tyre. Netanyahu insists Israel targets Hezbollah, not the Lebanese state—a distinction with legal weight. The U.S. partly backs this framing, citing Hezbollah's attacks without Beirut's approval. Yet Israel and Lebanon simultaneously maintain diplomatic channels and reaffirm no hostile intent. The paradox: active negotiation alongside expanding strikes in Lebanese cities.