Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Friday, October 18, 2024
From the Liveblog of
Friday, October 18, 2024
Austin says Sinwar’s death creates ‘opportunities for a change’ in Gaza and Lebanon
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United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, center, speaks with Netherland's Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, right, and Sweden's Defense Minister Pal Jonson, third right, during a meeting of the North Atlantic Council in NATO defense ministers format at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP/Virginia Mayo)
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar creates an opportunity for a change in direction in both Gaza and Lebanon.
“We’ll see how things evolve,” says Austin who is in Brussels for a meeting of NATO defense ministers, when asked about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vow to keep fighting in the Gaza Strip unless Hamas surrenders and frees all the hostages.
“But clearly there are opportunities for a change in direction, and we would hope that, you know, parties would take advantage of that, both in Gaza and in Lebanon,” he says.
Austin also says that US Forces in the Middle East stood ready to support Israel’s defense.
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