She explained US Department of Defense In a statement, she said: “Austin spoke with the Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Galant To discuss Israel’s operations in Lebanon.
The minister pointed out that:US Well positioned to defend U.S. personnel, partners, and allies against attacks from Iran And partners and proxies supported by Iran.”
The two officials stressed their “commitment to prevent any party from exploiting tensions or expanding the conflict in the region.”
Austin affirmed his “strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself and reiterated the United States’ commitment to a diplomatic arrangement that returns Lebanese and Israeli civilians safely to their homes on both sides of the border.”
He also stressed the importance of ensuring safety UNIFIL forces In the region, he urged coordination of efforts to move from military operations to the diplomatic track as soon as possible.
The statement continued that the two ministers “discussed the dire humanitarian situation in… GazaAustin called for “urgent steps to be taken to address it.”
Following his call with Gallant, Austin wrote in a tweet on his page on the “X” platform: “I call for ensuring the safety of UNIFIL forces and coordinating efforts to move from military operations to the diplomatic track as soon as possible.”
