Tel Aviv [Israel], December 19 : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated Israel's aim of achieving "total victory" against Hamas, stating that the war is not just Israel's but also the US's, as it is also a battle against the "Iranian axis."
He said that the Iranian axis of terror is threatening to close the maritime strait of Bab el-Mandeb and is presenting a threat to the freedom of navigation for the world.
Netanyahu was speaking at the joint press conference with US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin on Monday and he thanked Washington for their continuous support of Tel Aviv amid the ongoing war with Hamas and thanked the US for their support.
Speaking to the reporters, Netanyahu said, "We are fighting a war of civilization against barbarism. I can say that when we spoke, I expressed again our commitmentIsrael's commitmentto achieve total victory against Hamas. And we think this is not only our war but, in many ways, your war, because you are leading the forces of civilization in the world."
"This is a battle against the Iranian axis, the Iranian axis of terror, which is now threatening to close the maritime strait of Bab el-Mandeb. This threatens the freedom of navigation of the entire world," he added.
He further thanked Washington for their continuous support of Tel Aviv amid the ongoing war with Hamas.
"I appreciate the fact that you're taking action to open that strait. It's not only our interest; it is the interest, I think, of the entire civilised community. I want to thank you for the support that you have shown consistently, and I welcome the opportunity to talk about what else we're doing to have our common interests served," Netanyahu further said.
Meanwhile, Lloyd Austin, who is on his second visit to Israel after the October 7 attacks, underscored the US' "unwavering" and "unshakable" support for Israel and further warned any "individual, group or state" from testing Washington's resolve.
"I'm here to underscore what President Biden has said again and again: our commitment to Israel is unshakable. I know that Israel is a small, tight-knit country and I know that all Israelis were touched by the vast evil committed by Hamas. So I'm here to mourn with you for the innocent souls taken from you on October 7 and I'm also here to stand alongside the families of those still missing in Gaza, including US citizens," Austin said at the joint presser.
He further affirmed that the US will continue to support Israel with all the equipment it needs to defend itself and secure the release of hostages. Austin, however, also added that for achieving 'lasting security', the two leaders are also discussing allowing more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
"America's commitment to Israel is unwavering, and no individual, group or state should test our resolve. So in the Red Sea, we're leading a multinational maritime task force to uphold the bedrock principle of freedom of navigation. Iran's support for Houthi attacks on commercial vessels must stop. Now, we'll continue to provide Israel with the equipment that you need to defend your country. We will continue to support Israel to find and free all of the hostages. I am also here to discuss how we can best support Israel on a path of lasting security, and that means urgent needs first; we must get more humanitarian assistance for nearly 2 million displaced people in Gaza," he further added.
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