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Pentagon Chief Austin Discusses Middle East Situation With Israeli Counterpart

File photo: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin welcomes Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon in Washington, US, June 25, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
File photo: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin welcomes Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon in Washington, US, June 25, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
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Pentagon Chief Austin Discusses Middle East Situation With Israeli Counterpart

File photo: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin welcomes Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon in Washington, US, June 25, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
File photo: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin welcomes Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon in Washington, US, June 25, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin phoned Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday and discussed the US steps in the Middle East to defend Israel and a Gaza ceasefire, Austin said on social media platform X.
"The US F-22 Raptors that arrived in the region today represent one of many efforts to deter aggression, defend Israel and protect US forces in the region," Austin posted.
He added: "I also stressed the importance of concluding a ceasefire deal in Gaza that releases the hostages."
Leaders of the United States, Egypt and Qatar jointly demanded Israel and Hamas return to stalled talks on the war in Gaza next week, saying Thursday that “only the details” of carrying out a ceasefire and hostage release remain to be negotiated. “There is no further time to waste, nor excuses from any party for further delay,” they said in a joint statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Thursday that it had accepted the invitation.
Israel launched its offensive on Gaza after fighters from the Hamas group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel responded by assaulting the coastal enclave, vowing to annihilate the group. Almost 40,000 people have since been killed in Israeli strikes, according to Gaza’s health authorities, with thousands more bodies feared buried under the rubble.

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Iraq Arrests People in Connection with Ain al-Asad Attack

Norwegian soldiers prepare to board a Black Hawk helicopter during a training exercise at Ain al-Asad air base in July. (US Army)
Norwegian soldiers prepare to board a Black Hawk helicopter during a training exercise at Ain al-Asad air base in July. (US Army)
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Iraq Arrests People in Connection with Ain al-Asad Attack

Norwegian soldiers prepare to board a Black Hawk helicopter during a training exercise at Ain al-Asad air base in July. (US Army)
Norwegian soldiers prepare to board a Black Hawk helicopter during a training exercise at Ain al-Asad air base in July. (US Army)

Security forces have arrested five people in connection with an attack this week at the Ain al-Asad military base in Iraq in which four US troops and a US contractor were wounded, Iraqi officials said on Thursday.

“After in-depth legal investigations and listening to witnesses' statements, ... five of those involved in this illegal act were arrested,” the Iraqi Security Media Cell said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Iraqi security forces arrested four suspects in connection with the attack, a security source said.

Last Tuesday, the Joint Operations Command said it will arrest the perpetrators of the attack and bring them to justice after it received “critical” information about their identity.

US officials told Reuters that at least five US personnel were injured in an attack against a military base in Iraq on Monday.

The US officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said one of the Americans was seriously injured. The casualty count was based on initial reports which could still change, they said.

The attack came as the Middle East braced for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its allies following last week's assassination in Tehran of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, coupled with the killing of the senior military commander of Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr, by Israel in a strike on Beirut.

A political source told Asharq Al-Awsat, on Thursday that the arrest of people in connection with the Ain al-Asad attack aims to spare Iraq from a US response that could target the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

On Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declared that the US “will not tolerate” any attacks on its forces in the Middle East.

Soon after the attack on Ain al-Asad, Iraq's ruling Shiite coalition tried to prevent the collapse of a truce between the armed factions and US forces.

In its statement Tuesday, the Iraqi military condemned the rocket attack on the airbase as irresponsible.

“We reject all reckless actions and practices targeting Iraqi bases, diplomatic missions, and the whereabouts of the international coalition's advisers, and everything that would raise tension in the region,” the Iraqi statement said.

It also pledged to arrest the people in connection with the attack.

On Monday evening, the Coordination Framework held a meeting at the residence of the head of the Badr Organization, Hadi Al-Ameri, in Baghdad, to discuss the escalating tensions in the Middle East and the expected Iranian response after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Media outlets said the meeting also tackled the need to “support the government in keeping Iraq out of the wider specter of war.”

Iraq hosts 2,500 US troops and has Iran-backed militias linked to its security forces. It has witnessed escalating tit-for-tat attacks since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October.