US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has expressed “deep concern” to his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant over strikes on the Lebanese army after three soldiers were killed over the weekend, AFP reports.
In a call with Gallant, Austin “expressed his deep concern about the reports of strikes against the Lebanese Armed Forces,” Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder said in a statement.
He added that Austin “emphasized the importance of taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the Lebanese Armed Forces and Unifil forces,” referring to the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon.
UNIFIL has accused Israel of attacking its members multiple times in recent weeks.
Austin also expressed his condolences for an Israeli brigade commander killed in northern Gaza, where Israeli forces have been engaged in a sweeping assault targeting Hamas.
