US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expresses his “unconditional” support for Israel, including sending war equipment.
Austin said in Brussels on Thursday that the United States’ support is aimed at preventing the conflict from spreading across the region. “No one should try to take advantage of this despicable attack by Hamas to cause more bloodshed or instability,” he warned, stressing that “US support for Israel is very solid.”
“We are working urgently to provide Israel with what it needs to defend itself, including munitions and missile interceptors, and we will do that as we continue to support the Ukrainian people in their fight against Russian aggression,” Austin announced.
At a time when calls are increasing for a proportionate response from Israel that spares civilian lives, the US Secretary of Defense says he hopes Israel acts correctly.
“We have not imposed any conditions on the delivery of this equipment. This is a professional army led by professional leaders and we expect them to do the right things as they continue their campaign,” he said.
Lloyd Austin stated that the investigation is ongoing, but said he currently has no information pointing to Iran’s involvement in the Hamas attack.
“We also know that Iran has a long history of supporting Hamas, so there is a relationship that stretches over the years. But in terms of his active participation in the planning and execution of this attack, we have not yet seen any evidence of that. ” said the US Secretary of Defense, adding that the collection of this data “remains the focus” of the US.
Source: DN
