Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III spoke to his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, on Thursday afternoon, about regional threats and Iran’s destabilizing actions in the Middle East, the Pentagon press secretary said in a short statement.
The two leaders also spoke about the importance of increasing and sustaining the flow of humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians, including via the new route from Ashdod Port in Israel, according to the Pentagon official, Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder.
A senior U.S. official on Thursday night declined to say whether Mr. Gallant gave Mr. Austin any advance warning of an impending strike.
In its attack on the Iranian Embassy complex in Damascus on April 1, Israel alerted the United States only minutes beforehand, angering U.S. officials. Two days later, Mr. Austin complained directly to Mr. Gallant that the attack put U.S. forces in the region at risk and that the lack of warning had left no time to ratchet up their defenses.
American officials have said since then that communication between the two defense leaders was very good.
