Risk of all-out war in Middle East lowered after Israel-Hezbollah clash? Top US general reveals...

The risk of a regional war in the Middle East has lowered after Israel and Hezbollah exchanged heavy blows over the weekend, a top US general has claimed, according to a Reuters report.

Air Force General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff flew to Israel hours after Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets from the southern region of Lebanon. Quizzed if the weekend clash, dubbed one of the biggest since the war began in October last year, lowered thenear-term risk of a broader war, Brown replied: “Somewhat, yes."

"You had two things you knew were going to happen. One’s already happened. Now it depends on how the second is going to play out," he added, referring to Iran.

“How Iran responds will dictate how Israel responds, which will dictate whether there is going to be a broader conflict or not.”

Iran-backed Hezbollah had planned to launch large-scale missile and drone attacks in the central regions of Israel, particularly targetingIDF intelligence units and the Mossad headquarters. However, on Sunday (Aug 25) early morning, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), launched a pre-emptive strike that took the sting out of the Hezbollah attack.

After Israel's pre-emptive strikes, Hezbollahsaid it launched 'more than 320' Katyusha rockets while Israel claimed only 220 rockets and around 20 drones were fired.

Watch |Iran-Israel tensions: US ready to defend Israel in fight against Iran & proxies

US better prepared to aid Israel

Brown stated that even if Iran launched an all-out attack against Israel, the US was better prepared to aid Tel Aviv in defence than it was on April 13, earlier this year.

Notably, since the start of August, the Pentagon has moved warships, submarines and fighter jets to the Middle East to avoid escalation of a regional war.

Israel has been anticipating a retaliatory attack that may escalate into war after back-to-back assassinations of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut.

Washington is especially wary after Iranian Supreme LeaderAyatollah Ali Khamenei said avengingHaniyeh's blood was their 'duty' and vowed retaliation against Israel.

“The criminal and terrorist Zionist regime martyred our dear guest in our house and made us bereaved,"Khamenei said.

“We consider it our duty to avenge his blood in this bitter and difficult incident that happened in the territory of the Islamic Republic,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)