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The head of the US Central Command traveled to Israel to assess regional stability with a focus on Lebanon

November 24th 2024 , , , ,
General Michael Erik Kurilla arrived in Israel, invited by Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi (X @IsraelWarRoom)

General Michael Erik Kurilla arrived in the country at the invitation of Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi. The assessment focused on “strategic and security issues”

The head of the US Central Command (Centcom), the general Michael Erik Kurilla, is visiting Israel to address regional security and stability, “with emphasis on the Libano", an issue that was also discussed by telephone on Saturday by the Israeli Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, with its American counterpart, Lloyd Austin.

Kurilla arrived in Israel yesterday, invited by the Chief of the Israeli General Staff, Herzi Halevi, with whom it carried out a “security assessment,” the Israeli army reported, in which the head of operations also participated, Yisrael Shomer, and the head of the Northern Command, Ori Gordin.

“The assessment of the situation focused on strategic and security issues, with emphasis on Lebanon,” he added about this meeting, which takes place after the visit to Israel of Amos Hochstein, US mediator between Israel and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah to push for a ceasefire agreement between the parties.

Katz and Austin also addressed the issue in their telephone conversation on Saturday morning, with the Israeli thanking the US for its efforts to “facilitate detente in Lebanon” and insisting on Israel’s commitment to to restore security that would allow residents of northern Israel to “return to their homes safely.”

"Minister Katz stressed that Israel will continue to act decisively in response to Hezbollah's attacks against its civilian populations," the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

On Gaza, Katz stressed Israel's priority to return the hostages, while reiterating its commitment to Maintain the flow of humanitarian aid, which is insufficient according to UN agencies and humanitarian organizations.

Both also addressed the arrest warrants issued Thursday by the International Criminal Court against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Katz welcomed President Joe Biden's support for Israel, calling the court's decision "a stab in the back for all democracies fighting terrorism."

Biden and Macron discuss Lebanon

On the other hand, US President Joe Biden and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, discussed in a phone call Friday how to secure a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon that would allow residents on both sides of the so-called Blue Line to return to their homes.

The White House said in a brief statement that the two leaders discussed issues of global and bilateral interest. “They reviewed developments in Ukraine and the Middle East to include Efforts to secure a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon “that will allow residents on both sides of the Blue Line – the dividing line between Lebanon and Israel – to return safely to their homes,” the statement said.

Biden and Macron also pledged “to remain in close consultation directly and through their national security teams.”

On October 8, 2023, the day after the outbreak of the war in Gaza, the terrorist group Hezbollah opened a front against Israel in southern Lebanon in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas. After nearly a year of cross-border hostilities, Israeli troops launched a bombing campaign against Hezbollah strongholds and ground operations in southern Lebanon in September.

The aim of the Israeli campaign is to push Hezbollah away from the border areas and allow the safe return of the 60.000 displaced people from northern Israel following the exchanges of fire with Hezbollah, which also caused tens of thousands of people from southern Lebanon to flee.

(With information from AFP and EFE)
Source: INFOBAE

One thought on “US Central Command chief travels to Israel to assess regional stability with focus on Lebanon”
  1. The soldiers of the US Army are responsible for everything that happens here, not the soldiers, the government. It's always the same with them.

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