Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant headed to Washington on Sunday to discuss the next phase of operations in Gaza and escalating hostilities on the border with Lebanon, where exchanges of fire with Hezbollah have stoked fears of wider conflict, Reuters reports.

“We are prepared for any action that may be required in Gaza, Lebanon, and in more areas,” Gallant said in a statement before setting off to Washington, where he said he will meet his counterpart Lloyd Austin and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Some Israeli officials have linked the ongoing Israeli push into Rafah, the southern area of Gaza where it says it is targeting the last battalions of militant Islamist group Hamas, to a potential focus on Lebanon. Gallant appeared to make the same link in his statement.

“The transition to Phase C in Gaza is of great importance. I will discuss this transition with US officials, how it may enable additional things and I know that we will achieve close cooperation with the US on this issue as well,” Gallant said.

Officials have described the third and last phase of Israel’s Gaza offensive as winding down fighting while stepping up efforts to stabilise a post-Hamas rule and begin reconstruction in the enclave, much of which has been laid to waste.