US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, expressed support this Saturday (28) for his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, amid the attacks launched by Israel against Lebanon, which killed this Friday (27) the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, and a general in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, according to the country’s press.
A brief note from the Pentagon spokesman states that Austin spoke twice yesterday with Gallant about “the developments in Lebanon,” and that the US Defense chief “expressed full support for Israel’s right to defend the country and its people from Iranian-backed terrorist groups.”
“Secretary Austin stressed that the US is determined to prevent Iran and its proxies and partners from exploiting the situation or expanding the conflict,” the note added.
Israel this week launched a campaign of attacks – which is still ongoing – against southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as the southern suburbs of Beirut, areas considered Hezbollah strongholds.
The terrorist group confirmed this Saturday the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an intense bombardment against the headquarters of the armed movement in the southern suburbs of Beirut, which took place last Friday.
Furthermore, Iranian media reported today, a deputy commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Brigadier General Abbas Nilrushan, was killed in the same attack.
So far, neither US President Joe Biden nor Secretary of State Antony Blinken have commented on the latest developments.
Austin made it clear, according to the note, that the American position is “to protect US forces and installations in the region” and reaffirmed his “commitment to the defense of Israel”.
Also this Friday, in an interview with CNNthe American Secretary of Defense said that an “open war between Hezbollah and Israel would be devastating for Israel and Lebanon, with displaced people and deaths that could equal or exceed what was seen in Gaza”, which is why he defended a “solution diplomatic”.
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