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Pentagon Chief Tells Israel That US Is ‘Well-Postured’ against Iran

A rocket flies in the sky after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, October 1, 2024. (Reuters)
A rocket flies in the sky after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, October 1, 2024. (Reuters)
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Pentagon Chief Tells Israel That US Is ‘Well-Postured’ against Iran

A rocket flies in the sky after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, October 1, 2024. (Reuters)
A rocket flies in the sky after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, October 1, 2024. (Reuters)

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke to his Israeli counterpart late on Tuesday, hours after Iran's missile attack on Israel following Israel's military campaign in Lebanon, and said Washington was "well-postured" to defend its interests in the Middle East.

Earlier in the day, Iran fired ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for Israel's military campaign in Lebanon that has killed hundreds and displaced over a million people.

Iran later said its missile attack on Israel was over, barring further provocation. No injuries were reported in Israel and Washington called Iran's attack ineffective.

Israel and the US have promised to retaliate against Tehran as fears of a wider war intensify.

"The Secretary (Austin) reaffirmed that the United States remains well postured to defend US personnel, allies, and partners in the face of threats from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist organizations," the Pentagon said in a statement after Austin's call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

"The minister and I expressed mutual appreciation for the coordinated defense of Israel against nearly 200 ballistic missiles launched by Iran and committed to remain in close contact," Austin said separately in a post on X.

Israel has escalated its military campaign in Lebanon in recent days, launching operations that the Israeli military says are targeting Lebanese Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.

Israel is also waging a war in Gaza, which followed a deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Hamas movement. Israeli's military assault on Hamas-governed Gaza has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced nearly everyone there, caused a hunger crisis in the enclave.

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Netanyahu Says He Will Seek to Dismiss the Head of Israel’s Internal Security Service

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends his trial on corruption charges at the district court in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP)
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends his trial on corruption charges at the district court in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP)
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Netanyahu Says He Will Seek to Dismiss the Head of Israel’s Internal Security Service

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends his trial on corruption charges at the district court in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP)
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends his trial on corruption charges at the district court in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday he will seek to dismiss the head of the country's internal security service this week, following a power struggle over the Hamas attack that sparked the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu said in a statement he has had “ongoing distrust” with Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar, and “this distrust has grown over time.”

The Shin Bet is responsible for monitoring Palestinian armed groups, and recently issued a report accepting responsibility for its failures around the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack. But it also criticized Netanyahu, saying failed government policies helped create the climate that led to it.

The tensions boiled over this weekend when Bar’s predecessor, Nadav Argaman, said he would release sensitive information about Netanyahu if it is found that the prime minister had broken the law. Netanyahu accused Argaman of blackmail and filed a police complaint.

The Shin Bet did not have an immediate response to Netanyahu's announcement.

Netanyahu has resisted calls for an official state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack and has tried to blame the failures on the army and security agencies. In recent months, a number of senior security officials, including a defense minister and army chief, have been fired or forced to step down.

Bar had been one of the few remaining senior security officials since the Oct. 7 attack to remain in office.

Netanyahu said removing Bar from his position would help Israel “achieve its war goals and prevent the next disaster.” The prime minister is expected to appoint a loyalist in his place, slowing any momentum for the commission of inquiry.

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, a good-governance civil society group, called Netanyahu’s announcement a “declaration of war on the rule of law” and claimed that he does not have the authority to take the step against Bar because of investigations into his own office.

Netanyahu is also angry that the Shin Bet is investigating members of his staff for their dealings with Qatar. The Shin Bet, and Bar, have been closely involved with the hostage negotiations during the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu recently removed Bar from the negotiating team and replaced him with a loyalist, Cabinet minister Ron Dermer. Israeli media have reported on deep policy differences between the negotiators, who have pushed for a hostage deal, and Netanyahu, who continues to threaten to resume the war.