Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has warned Iran and its proxies the U.S. “will not flinch” in its commitment to “deterring further aggression from Iran.”
In a statement Monday marking one year since Hamas‘ October 7 assault on Israel, Austin said: “The Department of Defense will not flinch in our commitment to Israel’s security, to combatting terrorism by Hamas and other fanatical groups, to deterring further aggression from Iran, and to working with our allies and partners to promote stability and peace in the Middle East.”
The first October 7 anniversary has come while tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East, as the world waits to see if Israel will respond to Iran’s missile attack last week, amid Israel’s continued operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Austin said the U.S. had coordinated with Israel “to defeat Iran’s brazen and outrageous ballistic-missile, cruise-missile, and UAV barrages against Israel” on both April 13 and October 1.
He added that the Department of Defense’s official objectives was to “deter further aggression from Iran and its partners and proxies,” in defence of Israel.
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U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during the AUKUS Defence Ministers Meeting at Old Royal Naval College on September 26, 2024 in London. In a statement to mar the anniverary of the October 7 attacks on Israel, Austin warned Iran and its proxies that the U.S. would continue to act in order to deter further aggression.
Kin Cheung/WPA Pool/Getty Images
