Kurt Campbell: "Middle East escalation hurts U.S. strategic interests..."Balancing on the blade".

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said rising tensions between Israel and Iran were a "balancing on the knife" and pointed out that widespread escalation could hurt U.S. strategic interests.

In an online conversation with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a U.S. think tank, on the 2nd local time, Campbell pointed out that Israel's suggestion of retaliation against Iran was a legitimate response.

Campbell, however, stressed that widespread escalation and continued engagement could not only endanger Israel, but also put U.S. strategic interests at risk.

At the same time, we made it clear that we are wary of expanding operations in Lebanon or ground operations, and that we oppose Iran's expansion beyond the level of limited ground warfare.