JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel will spend the approaching weeks making an attempt to resolve the battle with Lebanon’s Iran-backed group Hezbollah and would like a diplomatic resolution, Israel’s nationwide safety adviser mentioned on Tuesday.

Nationwide safety adviser Tzachi Hanegbi mentioned Israel had been discussing with U.S. officers the chance that an anticipated finish of intense Israeli navy operations in Gaza would enable an “arrangement” to be reached with Hezbollah.

Iran-backed Hezbollah started attacking Israel from the north shortly after Palestinian Islamist group Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel, which sparked the conflict in Gaza.

Shelling on Israel’s northern border has led to the evacuation of tens of 1000’s of individuals from areas on each side of the frontier, and has escalated in current weeks, resulting in fears of an all-out battle.

“We and the Americans believe and we will dedicate weeks now in an attempt to reach an arrangement,” Hanegbi mentioned on the Herzliya convention.

“If there will not be an arrangement through diplomatic means, everyone understands that there must be an arrangement through other means. For now we prefer to focus on the diplomatic campaign,” he mentioned.

Hanegbi additionally mentioned Israel was discussing with Washington a attainable joint effort by america, European and a few Arab international locations to discover a alternative for Hamas rule within the Gaza Strip.