Israel kept Pentagon in the dark about Beirut strikes, Austin says
The White House ordered the US military to adjust force posture in the Middle East ‘as necessary’ after Israel defied Washington in a bid to kill Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, risking war with Iran.
WASHINGTON – The Biden administration was not informed in advance of Israel’s decision to launch a barrage of airstrikes in Lebanon’s capital on Friday, Pentagon officials said.
Israeli warplanes completely destroyed six high-rise apartment buildings in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh on Friday, reportedly in an attempt to kill Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Neither the Israeli military nor Hezbollah has confirmed Nasrallah’s death. The strikes were initially reported to have killed at least six people and wounded 91 others, Lebanon’s health ministry said, but the death toll is likely to rise.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke on the phone with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, around 11 a.m. on Friday morning while Austin was on a return flight to Washington after a diplomatic visit to the UK.
