WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told his Israeli counterpart on Wednesday that Washington had concerns about strikes against the Lebanese armed forces while urging Israel to take steps to ensure the safety of the Lebanese army and the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, the Pentagon said.
Austin also told Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant that Washington welcomed the movement of humanitarian assistance through the Erez crossing into northern Gaza and urged Israel take steps to address the dire situation there, the Pentagon’s summary of the call said.
Three Lebanese soldiers were killed in an Israeli strike on an army vehicle in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese military said on Sunday. Israel, which says it is targeting Lebanese Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, apologized and said its military was not operating against the Lebanese army.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon also says its troops have come under Israeli attack several times. Israel has disputed accounts of those incidents.
Austin “expressed his deep concern about the reports of strikes against the Lebanese Armed Forces,” the Pentagon said, adding he urged Israel “to ensure the safety and security of the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL forces.”
Washington wrote a letter to Israeli officials last week demanding concrete measures to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, or face potential restrictions on US military aid.
Israel’s war in Gaza has displaced nearly the entire 2.3 million population of Gaza and caused a hunger crisis.
US expresses concern to Israel about strikes against Lebanese army
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US expresses concern to Israel about strikes against Lebanese army
- The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon also says its troops have come under Israeli attack several times
Iranian FM slams WEF’s double standards after revoking his invite, but keeping Israeli President’s
DUBAI: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has criticised the World Economic Forum (WEF) for rescinding his invitation to the annual meeting in Davos amid his government’s harsh crackdown on nationwide protests, accusing the forum of succumbing to Western pressure and applying “blatant double standards.”
The WEF confirmed that Araghchi will not attend this year’s summit, running until Jan. 23, saying that “although he was invited last fall, the tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks means that it is not right for the Iranian government to be represented at Davos this year.”
In a series of posts on X, Araghchi rejected the decision, claiming his appearance was cancelled “on the basis of lies and political pressure from Israel and its U.S.‑based proxies and apologists.”
The Iranian minister criticised what he called the WEF’s “blatant double standards” for keeping an invitation open to Israel’s president despite ongoing allegations of civilian deaths in Gaza. He also referenced Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s participation in last year’s forum in Davos in January 2024 despite facing charges of genocide at the International Criminal Court.
“If WEF wants to feign a supposedly ‘moral’ stance, that is its prerogative. But it should at least be consistent about it,” Araghchi wrote, arguing that the decision exposed a “moral depravity and intellectual bankruptcy.”
