"Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Holds Key Talks with Egyptian Minister of Defense General"

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Egyptian Minister of Defense General Zaki to discuss enhancing security in the Middle East after the recent Hamas attack on Israel. They discussed Egypt's role in facilitating aid delivery and the safe evacuation of U.S. citizens from Gaza, as well as the importance of civilian protection. Secretary Austin expressed support for Israel's right to self-defense, emphasized deterring conflict escalation, and highlighted U.S. readiness to defend against Iran-sponsored attacks on American personnel.