UPDATE - US continues to support diplomacy along Blue Line: State Department

ADDS COMMENTS BY WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON, BACKGROUND

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US will continue to support diplomacy to avoid escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, the State Department said Tuesday.

"We have been in continuous discussions with Israeli and Lebanese counterparts since the incident over the weekend, and the United States is going to continue to support efforts to reach a diplomatic solution along the Blue Line," deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

The Blue Line demarcates Israel from Lebanon and the Golan Heights.

His remarks came after Israel said it carried out a strike in Beirut on Tuesday against the Lebanese group’s commander it said was responsible for a strike in the town of Druze in Majdal Shams in Israel-occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 children Saturday.

"We're continuing to work toward a diplomatic resolution that would allow Israeli and Lebanese civilians to return to their homes and live in peace and security. We certainly want to avoid any kind of escalation, and that is exactly why we continue to remain so deeply focused on diplomacy," said Patel.

Stressing that diplomacy is "the best path forward," he added: "We think that is the best way right now to calm tensions along the Blue Line and to create conditions that will allow civilians to return home."

- 'US does not believe war between Israel, Hezbollah is inevitable'

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the US does not believe that an "all-out war is inevitable."

"We believe that it can still be avoided," she said, adding that the US does not want to see an escalation.

"We want to work and focus on getting that diplomatic solution along the Blue Line and that is important.

"We want to see these attacks from Hezbollah end and for all Israelis and also Lebanese citizens on both sides of the border to be able to return home," said Jean-Pierre.

Israel blamed Hezbollah for Saturday’s attack but the Lebanese group denied any responsibility.

There has been no comment from Hezbollah on Tuesday's attack.

Fears have grown about a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah amid an exchange of cross-border attacks between the two sides.

The escalation comes against the backdrop of a deadly Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 39,300 victims since October, following an attack by the Palestinian resistance group. Hamas.