Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, met with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Helgi Halevi on Monday, the day after Israel's preemptive strikes on Lebanon.
Brown is visiting the region to shore up US alliances in the event of a possible Iranian attack on Israel.
The Israeli Defense Ministry said in a statement:
Today (Monday, August 26, 2024), Minister of Defense Yoav Galant discussed strategic issues within the framework of an official visit by Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Brown.
Gallant discussed the “strategic crossroads” Israel currently faces as it continues to pursue the war's goals of dismantling the Hamas terrorist organization, securing the return of hostages held by Hamas, and improving the security situation along Israel's northern border so that people in the region can safely return to their homes.
Discussing Iran, Gallant noted that Iran's offensive activities have reached an all-time high and that Iran continues to pursue nuclear capabilities. In this regard, Gallant stressed that Israel and the United States must be ready to fulfill their joint commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring a military nuclear weapon.
Minister Gallant expressed his appreciation for General Brown's leadership, the Israeli side's firm stance, and the clear commitment to Israel's security, both shown by the presence of U.S. troops in the Middle East and public support for Israel's right to self-defense.
The visit was planned ahead of Israel's pre-emptive strikes against Hezbollah, which succeeded in thwarting most of the rocket attacks that Hezbollah had planned for Sunday morning, including on the city of Tel Aviv.
The United States has warned Iran not to attack Israel, at least in any significant way, in retaliation for the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month, and Israel's killing of Hezbollah's second-in-command, Fouad Shukr, in Lebanon.
The Biden administration has also sought to curb Israel's response to Iran and its terrorist proxies.
Meanwhile, the United States has been trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, but has so far been unsuccessful: Israel has accepted the terms of the agreement, but Hamas continues to reject them.
Joel B. Pollack is executive editor of Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday The show airs Sunday nights from 7 to 10 p.m. (4 to 7 p.m. ET) on SiriusXM Patriot. He is the author of “Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days,” which is available for preorder on Amazon. He also wrote,Trumpian virtues: The lessons and legacy of Donald Trump's presidency” is available on Audible. He is the 2018 recipient of the Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter. Joel Pollack.
