In Israel, US defense chief Austin warns of heightened Iran-Russia cooperation
US defense chief Lloyd Austin said Biden administration officials are "especially disturbed" by Israeli settler violence against Palestinians, but vowed nothing would get in the way of Washington's support for Israel's security as it faces threats from Iran.
In meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials in Tel Aviv on Thursday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed to increase US support for Israel’s security and warned of increased Russian-Iranian cooperation in the battlefield in Ukraine while urging Israel to de-escalate tensions with the Palestinians.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and Netanyahu’s military secretary Avi Gil also took part in the meeting with Austin. The location was switched to Ben Gurion Airport from the Defense Ministry on short notice due to scheduled protests.
The defense chief stayed on-message despite the itinerary disruption, reiterating the Biden administration’s vow to collaborate with Israel to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and also warning of the dangers of escalating violence in the West Bank, which officials in Washington increasingly worry could undermine shared US-Israeli efforts to align a regional bulwark to contain Iran.
He and the Israeli leaders “agreed to increase cooperation to confront Iranian aggression” in the region, according to a Pentagon readout of the meeting, and emphasized “the lethal consequences” of Iran’s provision of armed drones to Russia for use in Ukraine as well as the potential for Russian tech transfer back to Tehran.
