Two U.S. officials said that the militia needs to also understand that Washington will help Israel defend itself if Hezbollah retaliates. They stressed that the militant group should not count on America to act as a brake on Israeli decision-making.

The message is being conveyed indirectly, because the U.S. does not engage with Hezbollah one-on-one because it is a designated terrorist organization, and it relies on public communications or intermediaries.

U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein and other American officials have traveled to the region in recent days to rein in both sides, even as there’s a growing sense in Washington and beyond that escalation is inevitable.