Pentagon chief urges 'close consultation' between Israel and US on Syria
Adds quotes from Pentagon statement, background on Syria situation and discussions between Austin and Katz on Gaza from paragraph 2 onward
By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, Dec 11 (Reuters) -U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz in a call that it was important for the United States and Israel to be in close consultation over events unfolding in Syria, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
Austin told Katz that Washington was monitoring developments in Syria and that it backed a peaceful, inclusive political transition, according to the Pentagon. He added that the U.S. would continue its mission to prevent the Islamic State militant group from re-establishing a safe haven in Syria.
After a lightning advance, Syrian rebels led by rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani brought an end to more than 50 years of rule by the Assad family. President Bashar al-Assad fled the country during the weekend and the world is watching to see if Syria's new rulers can stabilise the country.
Following the collapse of Assad's regime, the Israeli military said its jets conducted hundreds of strikes in Syria and destroyed the bulk of Syria's strategic weapons stockpiles.
"Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of close consultation between the United States and Israel on events in Syria," the Pentagon said.
It added that Austin also discussed with Katz attempts to secure Israeli hostages in Gaza and urged Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave where Israel's military assault has led to accusations of genocide and war crimes that it denies.
The current crisis in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's subsequent military assault on Hamas-governed Gaza has killed nearly 45,000, according to the local health ministry. It has also led to extreme hunger and the displacement of Gaza's near entire 2.3 million population.
Reporting by Kanishka Singh; Editing by Sandra Maler and Edwina Gibbs
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