US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expressed his "unwavering" support for Israel to Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during a phone call and reviewed the situation in the region, Israeli media reported during the early hours of Thursday morning.
The Pentagon Spokesperson said that Austin reviewed with Gallant recent security developments, where tensions remain high after a second explosion of Hezbollah pagers and devices on Wednesday.
Furthermore, during the call, Austin said that reaching a deal to release the hostages and a ceasefire to achieve a diplomatic solution should be a priority.
Austin reiterated US support for Israel "in the face of threats from Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, and Iran’s other regional partners."