A phone conversation took place between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant.

Axar.az reports that this information was included in a written statement by Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder.

"The Pentagon chief reaffirmed the U.S. unwavering commitment to Israel's security and its right to self-defense. He emphasized that the U.S. has increased its combat readiness to protect U.S. forces, Israel, and partners in the region against threats from Iran and its supported terrorist groups. The U.S. will firmly not allow any entity to exploit tensions or to escalate conflicts in the region," the statement said.