American officials have said on Thursday that Israel told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday (September 17) that Lebanon It is going to be a military operation, but no further details were given.
According to the American news agency Associated Press (AP), on the same day that this phone call was made, thousands of pagers were exploded in Lebanon under the control of Hezbollah, which is being blamed on Israel.
The call was one of four talks between Lloyd Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant this week as tensions between Israel and Hezbollah escalate, raising fears of a wider regional war. .
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The US and Israeli defense ministers spoke again on Tuesday (September 17) and the US admitted it had been briefed after the attack. Another call was made on Wednesday and they (Lloyd Austin and Uo Gallant) also spoke on Sunday, US officials told the AP on condition of anonymity.
But U.S. officials said the U.S. had no prior information about the detonation of walkie-talkie radios in the second attack on Wednesday.
At least 37 people lost their lives, including two children, and nearly 3,000 were injured in the events of these two days.
US officials insisted that Washington had no role in the attacks. At the same time, he said that he was surprised by the details of these operations.
This week’s attacks on electronic devices appear to be the culmination of a months-old Israeli campaign aimed at simultaneously targeting as many Hezbollah members as possible, but civilians have also been targeted.
On Thursday, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh acknowledged the four telephone calls but did not provide details about when they took place.
He said that the US has not changed its military position in the region as a result of the recent increase in attacks.
During a call with You Au Gallant on Wednesday, Lloyd Austin spoke about regional security developments and America’s support for Israel in the face of threats from Iran, Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies in the region, Sabrina Singh said. Reiterated unwavering support.
A Pentagon spokesman said Lloyd Austin “discussed the US priority for a cease-fire agreement to contain regional adversaries, de-escalate tensions in the region and repatriate those held captive by Hamas.”
Sabrina Singh said they also urged that a diplomatic solution be found so that citizens on both sides of the northern border between Israel and Lebanon can return to their homes.
This September 19, 2024 photo shows Lebanese army personnel preparing to destroy a communication link in a controlled explosion between the villages of Burj al-Maluk and Qalaya in southern Lebanon (AFP)
When asked about the possibility of a possible evacuation by the US military of US citizens in Lebanon, the spokesman said the Pentagon had not received a request from the State Department to do so.
The State Department asked American citizens in Lebanon to minimize their presence in public places and review their security awareness this week.
State Department and White House officials say there have long been plans for a possible American withdrawal from Lebanon, but they have no indication of when those plans will be implemented.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Wednesday: ‘We have evacuation plans in place for various locations around the world, but I don’t want you to think that we are at a moment when We need to announce or act on it immediately.’
Other officials said U.S. ships with Marines aboard are already well positioned in the Mediterranean to provide assistance if needed.
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2024-09-20 13:07:45
