Report: US asks Israel not to attack Lebanon first, vows help

The U.S. has promised military assistance in case of an attack by Hezbollah on Israel but demanded that Israel not attack Lebanon first, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with a number of Israeli officials during his recent visit to Israel.

“It is known that the head of the U.S. defense department proposed an agreement that would ensure that Israel would not be the first to attack Lebanon,” the newspaper said.

Austin also promised that Washington would help if Hezbollah began attacking Israeli territory, it added.

“Presumably Israel accepted the U.S. offer,” Yedioth Ahronoth said.

There has been no official statement from Washington and Israel regarding such an agreement yet.