Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon yesterday “to discuss efforts to deescalate tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, to surge more humanitarian aid into Gaza, and to stand together against Iranian and Iranian-supported attacks against Israel and destabilizing activities throughout the Middle East,” Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder reported yesterday. “Secretary Austin underscored the ironclad U.S. commitment to Israel, as evidenced in part by the extraordinary defense of Israel against an unprecedented Iranian attack on April 13 and by the more than $14 billion in assistance in the national security supplemental.”
Austin “stressed that Lebanese Hezbollah’s provocations threaten to drag the Israeli and Lebanese people into a war that neither of them wants, and that such a war would be catastrophic for Lebanon and it would be devastating for innocent Israeli and Lebanese civilians. Secretary Austin also reiterated the high priority of securing the safe release of all hostages held captive by Hamas, including American citizens.”
Austin also “commended” Israel’s alleged support for the ceasefire package endorsed by Biden, and they both agreed that the onus is on Hamas to accept it.
