28/9/2024–|Last updated: 9/28/202406:09 AM (Mecca time)
Senior American officials – led by the President – confirmed Joe Biden– That they had no prior knowledge of the Israeli attack targeting Secretary-General LHezbollah Lebanese Hassan Nasrallah Yesterday, Friday, they denied that the United States had participated in the operation, while directives were issued to modify the status of American forces in the region.
Biden said that the United States “was not aware of the attack on… Beirut She did not participate in it,” he added, “We need more information, and I am always concerned about the possibility of escalation.”
For his part, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said, “We did not receive prior warning from Israel about its operation in Beirut, and we were not involved in the attack.”
Austin continued, saying, “All-out war should be avoided, and diplomacy remains the best and fastest path to a solution.”
In turn, the US Department of Defense confirmed (Pentagon) That the United States did not participate in the bombing operation Southern suburb of Beirut She had no prior knowledge of it.
The Pentagon indicated that Secretary Austin was speaking with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, on the phone when Israel was launching its strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Israeli raids continue on the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the Israeli army talks about “changing the face of the Middle East.” How can the scene be read from a military perspective? What are Tel Aviv's considerations after targeting Hezbollah's central headquarters?#News #Gaza_War pic.twitter.com/Dd5imPN20u
– Al Jazeera Channel (@AJArabic) September 27, 2024
conflict
However, Israeli and American media said that Israel informed the United States that it would target Hassan Nasrallah.
ABC quoted an American official as saying that Israel informed the United States less than an hour before the strike.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority also quoted a senior official as confirming that Israel informed the United States of the operation.
On the other hand, Axios quoted senior American officials as saying that they had no knowledge of the attack and that “reports that we were informed before the attack are incorrect.”
Israeli Channel 13 said that there is anger in the United States and a feeling that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu He misled them in the ceasefire talks.
On the other hand, the White House said that President Biden “directed the Pentagon to evaluate and adjust the position of American forces in the region as necessary to improve deterrence, ensure the protection of forces, and support all American objectives.”
The statement added that Biden “directed his team to ensure that US embassies across the region take all preventive measures appropriately.”
Precautionary measures
A senior American military official told Al Jazeera that his country is strengthening protection measures for its forces and American installations throughout the region.
For its part, the US State Department called on American citizens to refrain from traveling to Lebanon, and urged those there to leave.
As for the American Embassy in Israel, it has issued instructions to prevent American government employees and their families from traveling outside what is known as Greater Tel Aviv andJerusalem And Beersheba.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said, “The events we have witnessed over the past hours confirm the seriousness of the moment that the Middle East and the world are going through.”
Blinken added that Israel has “the right to defend itself,” stressing at the same time that Washington seeks to avoid the outbreak of an all-out war in the region.
He said, “We are still collecting information to better understand what happened in the southern suburbs of Beirut and determine our response based on that.”
He added, “The choices made by all parties in the coming days will determine the path the region will take and the consequences for its people.”
Since last Monday, Israel has launched a massive air attack on Lebanon, which has so far resulted in the killing of more than 700 people, including women, children, and paramedics, the wounding of about 2,600 others, and the displacement of tens of thousands within the country and toward Syria.
Source : Al Jazeera + Agencies + American press + Israeli press