Israel risks war with Hezbollah to ensure Netanyahu’s political survival, potentially causing mass civilian deaths in Lebanon and Israel, warns ex-US military intelligence analyst Harrison Mann. Mann, who resigned over US support for Israel’s Gaza war, told the Guardian that such a conflict could draw the US into a regional war. Despite IDF plans and aggressive rhetoric, US officials believe Netanyahu’s government understands the dangers. However, Mann argues Israel might miscalculate, driven by internal politics and the need to confront Hezbollah, underestimating the war’s costs and effectiveness against Hezbollah’s entrenched arsenal.