Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, September 29, 2024
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, September 29, 2024
Pentagon chief Austin tells Gallant US committed to deterring Iran
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testifies before a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the Department of Defense fiscal 2025 budget request on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Against the backdrop of Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in a phone call Saturday that the US supports Israel’s right to defend itself and that the US is committed to deterring Iran and its proxies, the Pentagon says.
Austin also emphasized on the call that the United States “remains postured to defend its forces in the region,” the Pentagon adds.
Notably, the Pentagon statement on the call does not include mention of a ceasefire in Lebanon, which US President Joe Biden has repeatedly urged.
