A statement issued by the Pentagon said that Austin made it clear to Gallant that the United States “supports Israel’s right to defend itself.”
Austin expressed “Washington’s support for the need to dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure along the border in order to ensure that its fighters are not able to launch attacks similar to the October 7 attacks on gatherings in northern Israel.”
According to the statement, Austin reiterated that “there is a need for a diplomatic solution to ensure that civilians are able to return safely to their homes on both sides of the border (between Lebanon and Israel).”
Austin also stressed, according to the statement, that the United States “is in a good position to defend members of its armed forces, partners, and allies in the face of threats from Iran and the terrorist organizations it supports.”
Austin warned of “the dire consequences that Iran will bear if it decides to launch a direct military attack against Israel.”
The Israeli army announced, at dawn on Tuesday, the start of a ground military operation in Lebanon.
The Israeli army said in a statement that it “began limited and targeted raids on Hezbollah targets in the border area in southern Lebanon.”
He added, “These targets are located in villages close to the border and pose a direct threat to population centers in northern Israel.”
The statement continued: “The Air Force and artillery support the ground forces with precise strikes on military targets in the region.”
The statement stressed that Operation Northern Arrows will continue according to the assessment of the situation and in parallel with the fighting in Gaza and in other arenas.
The Israeli army explained that “the operations were approved and carried out in accordance with the decision of the political leadership.”
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