Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has said during a visit to Washington that his country did not want war in Lebanon, but could send it back to the “Stone Age” if diplomacy failed, AFP reports.

“We don’t want to get into a war because it’s not good for Israel. We have the ability to take Lebanon back to the Stone Age, but we don’t want to do it,” Gallant told reporters on the last day of the visit.

“We do not want war, but we are preparing for every scenario,” he said.“Hezbollah understands very well that we can inflict massive damage in Lebanon if a war is launched.”

Fears of an all-out war in Lebanon have risen in recent weeks as violent exchanges between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group have intensified.

Gallant said Wednesday that Israel had killed more than 400 Hezbollah “terrorists” in recent months. According to an AFP tally, at least 481 people have died in Lebanon as a result of the Israel-Hezbollah clashes since October 7, including 94 civilians.