U.S. pledges support for Israel amid rising Middle East tensions
- If Israel is attacked, yes, we will help Israel defend itself, declared Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin. This statement follows the elimination of the Hamas leader and the killing of Hezbollah's main military commander. Austin added that the United States "don't want to see that happen."
Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin declared on Wednesday that the United States will help Israel if it is attacked. He also expressed his belief that "a fight is inevitable" and assured that the United States wants "things resolved in a diplomatic fashion."
Hamas leader is dead
On Wednesday, the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas announced that its chief, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in a "Zionist" airstrike on his residence in Tehran.
Asked how the United States can assist in case of a broader conflict erupting in the Middle East, the Pentagon chief stated that "If Israel is attacked, yes, we will help Israel defend itself. We've been clear about that from the very beginning. But again, we don't want to see that happen."
Hezbollah military commander killed
The death of the Hamas leader occurred a few hours after an Israeli retaliatory strike on Hezbollah. In the air raid on Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, the main military commander of the organization, Fuad Shukr, was killed.
The attack was a response to Saturday's shelling of the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, in which 12 children and teenagers were killed. Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, Hezbollah has been attacking Israel to help Hamas. Iran also supports both Hezbollah and Hamas.
source: PAP
