Israel-Hezbollah war could erupt without notice in weeks if deal not reached: Report

US intelligence indicates that a large scale war is likely to erupt between Israel and Hezbollah in "the next several weeks" if a ceasefire deal in Gaza is not reached, according to a report by Politico.

The report said that the US assessment is more conservative than intelligence-based predictions from some European countries which believe a war could erupt in days.

The Politico article follows Middle East Eye's reporting last week that the US had signalled to Hezbollah via Lebanese intermediaries that it would support an Israeli offensive on the group in the coming weeks.

US official Amos Hochstein told Lebanese officials that Israel anticipates roughly five more weeks of intense fighting in Gaza, after which it will pause its main offensive across the enclave. However, it will continue to target senior Hamas officials and conduct attacks to recover hostages.

Israel says it has drawn up plans for a limited offensive on Hezbollah. Hezbollah has also said it is prepared for war and has a bank of Israeli targets, including in the Mediterranean.

Read more: Israel-Hezbollah war could erupt without notice in weeks if deal not reached