Lloyd J. Austin III Secretary of Defence | Official website
Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant today to provide updates on measures to enhance U.S. military posture in the region to protect U.S. forces, defend Israel, and deter aggression by Iran, Lebanese Hizballah, and other Iran-aligned militias. Among other force movements, they discussed the deployment of additional ballistic missile defense assets and the arrival today of U.S. F-22 Raptors to the region.
Secretary Austin made clear that while a war is not inevitable and that de-escalation is the preferred course of action, the U.S. would defend Israel if it were attacked. He also stressed the importance of concluding a ceasefire deal in Gaza that results in the hostages being released and the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.
