Israel Targets Hezbollah While Keeping Diplomatic Door Open With Lebanon

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 15 people in southern Lebanon on June 19, including in Tyre. Netanyahu argues Israel targets the militant group Hezbollah, not Lebanon's government—a legal distinction that matters under international law. The U.S. supports this framing, noting Hezbollah acted without Beirut's approval. Yet Israel and Lebanon maintain diplomatic channels even as strikes expand in Lebanese cities. The paradox: negotiation and escalation proceeding simultaneously.