In a phone call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin conveyed Washington’s “ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and support for its right to defend itself,” as he did after Iran attacked Israel on Oct. 1, according to Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary.
The two leaders spoke after the Jewish state conducted “overnight precision strikes on military targets in Iran,” according to Ryder, and Austin noted the U.S. “recent deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery to Israel as an example of these commitments.”
Austin told Gallant that the United States is well prepared to defend its own soldiers and sites and its regional partners “and determined to prevent any actor from exploiting tensions or expanding the conflict in the region,” according to Ryder. “He told the minister that Iran should not make the mistake of responding to Israel’s strikes, which should mark the end of this exchange.”
The U.S. secretary “also discussed the opportunities that now exist to use diplomacy to dial down tensions in the region, including a hostage release and ceasefire deal in Gaza and an agreement in Lebanon that allows civilians on both sides of the Blue Line to return safely to their homes,” per the U.S. readout.
According to the Israeli Defense Ministry’s readout of the call published on Sunday, Gallant briefed Austin on “the IDF’s precision strikes on military targets in Iran, in response to Iran’s attacks against the State of Israel over the past months.”
Further, Gallant “discussed initial assessments regarding the success of the strikes against missile manufacturing facilities, surface-to-air missile arrays and Iranian aerial capabilities.”
The minister thanked Austin for the “unwavering support” from the United States “for Israel’s defense against Iranian aggression,” mentioning the recent deployment in Israel of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Defense (THAAD) aerial-defense system.
“The Minister and Secretary further discussed the importance of maintaining deterrence against Iran and its proxies in the region,” the Defense Ministry readout stated.
“Minister Gallant also discussed the strategic opportunities that have risen as a result of operational achievements, in both the northern and southern arenas. In this regard, the Minister emphasized his commitment to achieving the goals of this war - including the the return of 101 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, and ensuring the safe return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes,” the readout said.
Gallant and Austin also spoke on Friday, according to Ryder, and the U.S. secretary received “updates on the Israel Defense Forces’s strikes on military targets in Iran.” He said that Austin made similar commitments during that call about U.S. dedication to Israel’s security.
