U.S. & Israeli Defense Chiefs To Meet

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet with Israel’s minister of defense and discuss ways to address the Hamas threat other than conducting a ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Tuesday’s meeting comes at a time of rising tensions between the two countries. The Pentagon spokesman, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, tells reporters that Austin’s planned meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is still on, despite the fact that Israel abruptly canceled the visit of a high-level delegation to Washington this week. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled the visit in protest over Monday’s U.N. Security Council decision calling for an immediate cease-fire.