As Israel escalates its military operations against the Lebanese Hezbollah, the United States should clarify that it would have to wage a war with Hezbollah without U.S. military participation.

Israel’s intent is to degrade Hezbollah forces proximate to Israel’s northern border and therefore allow tens of thousands of Israelis to return to their homes in the north. To increase pressure on Hezbollah, the Israel Defense Forces are targeting command and control nodes and specific commanders in its organization. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government evidently assesses that Hezbollah wants to avoid a broader war, so it will tolerate Israeli action without employing its vast missile arsenal.