A newly aired exposé on Channel 13’s Hamakor program has brought to light the deep friction that existed between Israel and the Biden administration, particularly surrounding sensitive security decisions. The report uncovers a specific incident in which Israel’s communication with Washington broke down over a planned military operation targeting Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Mike Herzog, who previously served as Israel’s ambassador to the United States, explained on the show that Israeli officials had intended to notify Washington in advance of the operation, specifically reaching out to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. However, Herzog said their attempts were met with silence, stemming from American frustration over what they perceived as a diplomatic slight regarding a proposed Lebanon ceasefire. “It was agreed that we would update the Americans, at the level of Jake Sullivan,” said Herzog. “We tried setting up a phone call with Jake Sullivan and he didn’t get back to us. He was angry because he thought we had deceived them, and we let them make public the initiative for a ceasefire and make them look foolish, while we are planning to eliminate Nasrallah.”
Because the outreach to Sullivan failed, the responsibility to alert the U.S. ultimately fell to then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who connected with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin shortly before the operation commenced.
When asked how Austin reacted to the bombshell news during the phone conversation, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro declined to describe the tone or details, saying only, “I’ll allow others to characterize that call.”
Gallant himself recounted the conversation during his interview with Hamakor, describing the precise moment he delivered the news. “I updated Austin 15 minutes before the operation. I told him, ‘We’re about to eliminate Nasrallah’. He asked me, ‘When?’. I told him, ‘15 minutes’. He really did not like this. He told me, ‘This could lead to a regional war’. I told him, ‘With all due respect, this man murdered thousands of Israelis and hundreds of Americans. I suggest you carefully consider your response.’”
Continuing the account, Gallant described how Austin sought assurance that the intelligence behind the strike was sound. “So he (Austin) asks me, ‘Are you convinced he’s there?’. I told him, ‘There is a very high probability.’”

{Matzav.com}