The United States yesterday called for a 21-day cease-fire on the Israel-Lebanon border to prevent an escalation of war and give diplomacy a chance there and in Gaza. 

Voicing their support for this plan are Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, British Defense Secretary John Healey, and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, who met today in London at the AUKUS defense ministerial meeting. 

France and other allies and partners also support this plan. 

“The situation in Lebanon and northern Israel is deeply troubling,” Austin said. Lebanese Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed terrorist group, began firing rockets into Israel in an unprovoked attack the day after the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist assault by Hamas, Austin said. 

“Hezbollah has not stopped since. Like any other state, Israel has a right to defend itself. And almost a year later, tens of thousands of Israeli and Lebanese civilians still cannot safely return home, and we now face the risk of an all-out war, another full-scale war, which could be devastating for both Israel and Lebanon, Austin said. 

Despite the sharp escalation in recent days, a diplomatic solution is still viable. A diplomatic solution, not a military solution, is the only way to ensure that displaced civilians on both sides of the border can finally go back home,” Austin said. 

An immediate 21-day cease-fire will provide time for the diplomacy needed to achieve a durable arrangement that will allow Israeli and Lebanese civilians to return safely to their homes. This time can also be used to conclude and implement a deal to secure a cease-fire in Gaza and to bring all of the hostages home, he said. 

“Make no mistake. The United States remains postured to protect our forces and our personnel across the Middle East, and no one should try to exploit this crisis or expand this conflict. So, we will continue to work tirelessly to avoid another tragic war and to find a diplomatic path forward,” Austin said. 

“We’ve been committed from the very beginning to help Israel provide the things that are necessary for them to be able to protect their sovereign territory, and that hasn’t changed and won’t change in the future,” Austin said. 

Healey and Marles said the cease-fire is the only way to produce a long-term peace. The leaders also urged their citizens in Lebanon to leave while they still have the opportunity.

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