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fullscreen US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is concerned about Photo: Efrem Lukatsky/AP/TT
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is “deeply concerned” about reports of Israeli attacks on the Lebanese army – something he has now communicated to his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant.
Three soldiers were killed this weekend in an Israeli attack that Lebanon says was aimed at them.
Lebanon’s military said Sunday that an Israeli attack targeted vehicles belonging to Lebanese soldiers in the country’s south, where Israel says it is striking Hezbollah strongholds. A total of eight Lebanese soldiers have now been killed since the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalated last month.
According to Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder, Austin and Gallant spoke by phone on Wednesday. Austin then emphasized “the importance of weighing all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the Lebanese Army forces”. He also mentioned the security of Unifil, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon.
Unifil has accused Israel of targeting its forces several times in recent weeks.