The United States has “deep concern about reports that Israeli forces fired on U.N. peacekeeping positions in Lebanon, as well as by the reported death of two Lebanese soldiers,” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defense minister, on Saturday, according to Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary.

Austin “strongly emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety and security of UNIFIL forces and Lebanese Armed Forces and reinforced the need to pivot from military operations in Lebanon to a diplomatic pathway as soon as feasible,” according to Ryder.

Israel has told United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon soldiers to vacate certain areas ahead of its attacks on Hezbollah terror targets. In a U.N. Security Council meeting on Thursday, Danny Danon, the Israeli envoy to the global body, said that the Lebanese army and UNIFIL must “step up” and fulfill their duties.

“The Lebanese people have been held hostage by an Iran-backed terror organization,” Danon told the council. “Hezbollah has established a terrorist state within a failed state.”

On Saturday, Austin “also raised the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and stressed that steps must be taken to address it” with Gallant and “reaffirmed the United States’ unwavering, enduring and ironclad commitment to Israel’s security,” per the Pentagon readout.

“He acknowledged Yom Kippur and the need to bring back all hostages to their families as soon as possible,” Ryder added.

Hezbollah fired some 320 rockets at the Jewish state on Yom Kippur, a fact which media reports downplayed.

(JNS)