NNA - U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant that the United States supports Israel’s limited ground operation against Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon.

The two military leaders “agreed on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border to ensure that Lebanese [Hezbollah] cannot conduct October 7-style attacks on Israel’s northern communities,” according to the Pentagon readout of the call.

The Israel Defense Forces announced the start of the ground operation early on Tuesday, hours after the Security Cabinet in Jerusalem approved the move. The army said that forces were conducting “limited, localized and targeted raids” along the border.--agencies

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