Pentagon is “furious” over Israel’s surprise attack on Hezbollah leader

United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expressed strong displeasure with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant following an Israeli airstrike that resulted in the death of Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah.

The incident, which occurred in Beirut, also killed 20 senior Hezbollah officers, according to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The number of civilian casualties has not yet been confirmed.

The information, initially reported by the Jerusalem Post and citing the portal RThighlight that Austin was informed of the operation only when it was already underway.

Speaking to journalists, Austin revealed that he had not received any prior warning about the attack, which occurred last Friday.

The United States’ response was to immediately distance itself from what had happened. President Joe Biden said he had “no knowledge” of Israel’s plans.

According to reports from the Jerusalem Post, Austin, who has had more than 125 telephone conversations with Gallant since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict last year, reportedly lost his composure during one of these dialogues due to the lack of prior communication and the seriousness of the Israeli action.

The incident increases tensions between the two allies, highlighting challenges in coordination and communication in matters of security and military strategy.