Pentagon seeking more information before classifying Beirut strike as escalation of war

The US had no advance warning of Israel's strike on Hezbollah's central headquarters in Dahiyeh, Beirut on Friday, the Pentagon said, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin learned of the operation while it was underway during a phone call from Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. 

"We are still assessing the event and don't have any additional information or any further specifics to provide at this time," Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said. 

Singh did not comment on Israel's target or if Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is alive. 

Singh said it “remains to be seen” if Israel’s attack is considered to be an escalation. 

“We are still doing an assessment,” she said. 

Singh was repeatedly pressed on who initiated the phone call this morning between Austin and Gallant. Earlier this week reporters questioned why the counterparts hadn’t spoken directly in days.

US urging diplomacy 

Austin, and the administration broadly, continues to urge for diplomacy as it’s the best path forward, she said.

“Diplomacy cannot succeed amid continued tit-for-tats back and forth,” Singh said. “So that's what the Secretary's conversations are like with Mr. Gallant. That's what he continues to urge for.  I'll leave it at that.”

Singh denied there was a fracture of trust between Austin and Gallant. If there was, she said, there wouldn’t be this type of levels of calls and engagements occurring frequently, and not just at the Secretary's level, but across the administration. 

According to Singh, the US still coordinates with the Israeli government and provides intelligence, though she clarified the US had no involvement or advance warning of Friday’s strike in Beirut. 

At this point, the Pentagon does not see imminent signs of an Israeli ground operation into Lebanon, but Singh deferred questions to the IDF to speak of their own operations.