US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a telephone conversation with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant against the background of the start of the IDF ground operation in Lebanon. The head of the Pentagon expressed full support for Israel’s right to self-defense.
“We agreed on the need to dismantle attack infrastructure along the border to ensure that Lebanese Hezbollah cannot carry out October 7-style attacks on northern Israeli communities.”, — wrote Austin on the X platform.
He also stressed the importance of diplomatic efforts to ensure that civilians on both sides of the conflict can safely return to their homes. In addition, Austin said that the United States has all the necessary resources to protect its personnel, partners and allies from threats related to Iran and terrorist organizations supported by it. The US is determined to prevent any side from taking advantage of the current situation to escalate or expand the conflict.
The head of the Pentagon also emphasized once again that Iran will suffer serious consequences if it decides to launch a direct military attack on Israel.
