US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke to Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday and updated him on the F-22 fighter jets that the US had deployed to the Middle East.
“I called Israeli Minister of Defense Gallant today to brief him on US force posture adjustments and reinforce my ironclad support for Israel’s defense,” wrote Austin in a post on social media site X.
“The US F-22 Raptors that arrived in the region today represent one of many efforts to deter aggression, defend Israel and protect US forces in the region. I also stressed the importance of concluding a ceasefire deal in Gaza that releases the hostages,” he added.
The conversation comes amid preparations for a retaliation by Hezbollah and Iran for the eliminations of senior terrorists in Beirut and Tehran.
Last Friday, the Pentagon announced that the US would move a fighter jet squadron to the Middle East and maintain an aircraft carrier in the region as part of steps it is taking “to mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or Iran's partners and proxies”.
Austin and Gallant spoke on Sunday as well. Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement following the call that Austin “reiterated ironclad US support for Israel's security and right to self-defense against threats from Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, Houthis, and other Iranian-backed terrorist groups.”
According to the statement, the two “discussed US force posture moves that the Department is taking to bolster protection for US forces, support the defense of Israel, and deter and de-escalate broader tensions in the region.”
On Wednesday, two senior US officials told Politico that Iran has decided against conducting a direct attack on Israel in retaliation for the killing of Haniyeh.
According to the report, Tehran is now convinced that Haniyeh was killed when someone activated a remote-controlled bomb in the room where he was staying, and not in a direct military operation.
Washington stressed to Tehran that such an action, so long as no Iranian citizens were killed, does not justify a direct military operation against Israel.
On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a US official, that the United States has warned Iran that its government and economy could suffer a "devastating blow" if it launches a massive attack on Israel.
According to the report, the message was communicated directly to the Iranian government, as well as through intermediaries.