Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday night briefed his American counterpart Lloyd Austin as the Israel Defense Forces intensifies its targeting of Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon.
“Spoke yesterday evening with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, following my visit to the IDF’s Northern Command. Provided the secretary with a situation assessment [regarding] Hezbollah threats and briefed him on IDF operations to degrade Hezbollah’s ability to launch attacks against Israeli civilians,” according to a statement from Gallant’s office.
“We also discussed the wider regional situation and the threats posed by Iran and its proxies,” it added.
Gallant held several phone calls with Austin over the weekend as the Jewish state braced for Lebanese Hezbollah terrorists to launch a large-scale cross-border assault.
Gallant briefed Austin on “the precise operation conducted by the IDF to eliminate the head of Hezbollah’s Operations Unit [the Radwan Force] and Commander of the Radwan Force, Ibrahim Aqil—senior Hezbollah leader and planner of numerous terror attacks against Israel, and wanted by the United States for the killing of U.S. citizens,” according to a separate statement.
The defense minister also discussed Jerusalem’s defensive measures against the ongoing rocket and drone attacks from Lebanon directed at Israeli residential areas. Gallant stressed to Austin that Israel is committed to returning citizens to all evacuated communities in the country’s north.
The minister also discussed the IDF’s ongoing activities against Hamas terrorists in Gaza, underscoring Jerusalem’s commitment to bringing home the remaining 101 hostages.
Gallant voiced his “appreciation to Secretary Austin and U.S. leadership for reaffirming their commitment to Israel’s security,” his office said.
In a call late last week, Austin “reiterated unwavering U.S. support for Israel in the face of threats from Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah and Iran’s other regional partners,” while calling for de-escalation, according to a readout provided by Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.
Gallant on Sunday held an operational situation assessment at the IDF’s Northern Command headquarters, where he said that “the past week has been the most difficult in the history of Hezbollah’s existence.”
