U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated on Wednesday that a wider war in the Middle East is not inevitable, stressing the importance of diplomacy in cooling rising tensions in the region.
‘I don’t think war is inevitable. I maintain that. I think there’s always room and opportunities for diplomacy,’ Austin remarked while visiting the Philippines. This follows Israel’s Tuesday claim of killing a Hezbollah commander responsible for a deadly strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
When asked about another strike that reportedly killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran on Wednesday, Austin provided no additional comments. Hamas termed the strike a ‘severe escalation’ that would not succeed in its goals.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed Haniyeh’s death and mentioned ongoing investigations. On U.S. assistance if conflict escalated, Austin emphasized ongoing support for Israel and a priority on reducing tensions through diplomatic means.
‘We don’t want to see any of that happen. We’re going to work hard to ensure de-escalation through diplomatic efforts,’ he added.
