During a press briefing in Rome, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin addressed the recent allegations made by Israel regarding a Hezbollah bunker supposedly located underneath the Al Sahel hospital in southern Beirut. Austin stated that the US has not seen any evidence to support these claims at this time. He emphasized the importance of continued collaboration with Israeli counterparts to gain a better understanding of the situation.
Despite Austin's previous call for Israel to scale back its strikes around Beirut, Israel has not complied and has instead expanded its military operations in the area. The Secretary of Defense reiterated the need for de-escalation and expressed concerns about the ongoing violence.
In response to a recent leak of highly classified documents related to Israel, Austin clarified that no individuals in his office are currently under investigation in connection with the breach. The leak has raised questions about security protocols and information sharing between the US and its allies.
The United States has long been a major supplier of arms to Israel, with a significant portion of Israel's arm imports coming from the US. According to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), 69% of Israel's arm imports in 2023 originated from the US. Recent discussions have centered around the need for Israel to address humanitarian concerns in Gaza to avoid potential consequences, such as the withholding of military aid.
