US, Israel defense chiefs discuss ceasefire deal, regional risks, Austin says

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday said he had spoken with his Israeli counterpart to discuss a range of issues in the region, including the ongoing exchanges of fire on the Israel-Lebanon border and the need to finalize a ceasefire deal.

In a post on X, Austin said he also discussed the risk of escalation from Iran and Iran-backed groups in the call on Thursday and told Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant that the United States is well postured across the region.



"I called Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant yesterday to discuss continued exchanges of fire on the Israel-Lebanon border and the risk of escalation from Iran, Lebanese Hizballah, and Iran-backed terrorist groups across the Middle East. I confirmed the United States commitment to Israel’s security and shared that the United States is well postured across the region to defend Israel and protect U.S. personnel and facilities. Minister Gallant and I also discussed progress towards securing a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages, and I underscored the importance of finalizing a deal," Austin said.