Amid fresh rocket fire from Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday told his American counterpart Lloyd Austin that time was running out for an agreed-upon de-escalation with Hezbollah.
“The possibility of a settlement in the north is passing. Hezbollah continues to tie itself to Hamas. The direction is clear,” Gallant told Austin in an overnight phone call, Israel’s Defense Ministry said.
The call follows an escalation in the hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, which have exchanged fire since Oct. 8, when Hezbollah began offensive action in solidarity with Hamas’s invasion of the northwestern Negev. Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets into Israel on Sunday and more rockets on Monday. Israel struck terrorist targets in Southern Lebanon both times.
The Defense Ministry’s report on the call did not include quotes by Austin, whose U.S. Department of Defense did not immediately provide a readout of the conversation.
The call between Austin and Gallant, who have spoken dozens of times by phone since Oct. 7, comes at a time of tension between Gallant and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, according to reports in the Israel media, is interested in firmer military action in Israel’s multi-arena conflict.
On Sunday, Netanyahu pledged to not allow a continuation of the status quo vis-à-vis Hezbollah. Austin has called repeatedly for regional de-escalation, including in his conversation with Gallant last week.
The defense minister reiterated in his latest call with the secretary of defense Israel’s commitment to dismantling Hamas and returning the hostages from Gaza “in any way possible.”
