US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed support to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday for the "dismantling of attack infrastructure" along the border with Lebanon, following Israel's "targeted ground raids" on Hezbollah. Austin also cautioned Iran of "serious consequences" if it directly retaliates against Israel for its actions against Hezbollah.
"We concurred on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border to ensure that Lebanese Hezbollah cannot execute attacks akin to those on October 7 on Israel's northern communities," Austin stated in a message shared on social media platform X after his conversation with Gallant. Gallant had previously indicated that Israel's military operations in Lebanon were ongoing, despite an Israeli strike that resulted in the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday, significantly impacting the militant group.
Austin reinforced the stance shared by the White House, emphasizing that a "diplomatic resolution is essential" to safeguard civilian lives "on both sides of the border." He further stated, "I reiterated the serious consequences for Iran if it opts to launch a direct military attack against Israel." The US is prepared to defend its personnel, partners, and allies against threats from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist organizations, and is resolute in preventing any entity from exploiting the tensions or escalating the conflict.
