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Israel justifies preemptive attack on Hezbollah to US Secretary of Defense

Defense Minister tells Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that Israel acted against an “imminent threat.”

By World Israel News Staff

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant phoned his American counterpart, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, following Israel’s preemptive strike on Hezbollah early Sunday morning.

According to Hebrew-language media reports, the Israeli air force destroyed launchers that were primed for a massive aerial assault targeting central Israel, including a sensitive intelligence base near Tel Aviv.

“We have conducted precise strikes in Lebanon in order to thwart an imminent threat against the citizens of Israel. We are closely following developments in Beirut, and we are determined to use all the means at our disposal in order to defend our citizens,” Gallant told Austin, according to a summary of the call released by his office.

“The defense establishment is following developments in Beirut and is prepared to deploy defensive and offensive means,” the statement continued.

“Minister Gallant expressed his appreciation to Secretary Austin for standing with Israel and for the ongoing cooperation, which contributes to the security of the State of Israel and to regional stability,” the media release added.

“Israel’s defense establishment is determined to defend the citizens of Israel and will use all the means at its disposal to remove imminent threats.”

Sean Savett, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said in a media statement that President Joe Biden was “closely monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon.”

“We will keep supporting Israel’s right to defend itself, and we will keep working for regional stability,” Savett added.

A senior U.S. defense official told the New York Times that Jerusalem had not warned the U.S. about its plans to strike Hezbollah.

However, a different official told the Times that Washington was briefed regarding an imminent threat from Hezbollah, though it was unclear if that update included details about a potential Israeli response.

The Israeli strike comes amid intensive efforts led by the U.S. to avoid regional escalation, after Hezbollah and Iran threatened to attack Israel following the assassinations of senior Hezbollah and Hamas officials.