Voice 9, War Desk: According to a US official,
the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, is scheduled to visit Israel on
Friday to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This visit comes after a
recent visit to Israel by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
During his visit, Austin will also hold meetings
with defense officials and the country's emergency government. The visit takes
place amidst the aftermath of a devastating attack by Hamas militants, which
has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives. In response, Israel has
launched a series of air and artillery strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza, resulting
in over 1,350 casualties.
