Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that the window for a diplomatic solution with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon is closing. Gallant stated that as long as Hezbollah remains tied to Hamas in Gaza, the possibility for an agreed framework in the northern arena is running out. Efforts are being made to find a diplomatic path out of the crisis, which has displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border. Israeli media reported that the head of the army's northern command recommended a rapid border operation to create a buffer zone in southern Lebanon. The situation in the north has raised concerns of a regional conflict involving the United States and Iran.