Israeli Defense Minister Calls US Defense Minister To Discuss Hezbollah Attack On Military Base

JAKARTA - Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant communicated with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin about Hezbollah's deadly attack on an Israeli military base.

Gallant said the conversation highlighted the impact of the drone strike, which left four soldiers dead and more than 60 injured, eight of whom were seriously injured.

He said Israel would take a firm response to Hezbollah.

Gallant also told Austin Israel was taking steps to maintain coordination with the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

The attack on UNIFIL's headquarters became the subject of debate between Israel and its allies after the United Nations said the Israeli military had opened fire on its peacekeeping forces, forcibly entering its base, stopping its logistics and injuring more than a dozen of its troops in southern Lebanon.

The telephone conversation between the two officials came hours after the US announced it would deploy the THAAD missile defense system to Israel.

Defense Minister Gallant called the decision a clear reflection of the United States' commitment to Israel's security and Israel's defense against the air threats posed by Iran and its allies.