Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby provided the following readout:
Today, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Benjamin “Benny” Gantz about Iran’s July 29 attack on the M/T MERCER STREET, which killed two innocent civilians. Secretary Austin and Minister Gantz expressed concern about Iran’s proliferation and employment of one-way attack UAVs across the region and committed to continue cooperating closely on regional security. They agreed to work together alongside allies and partners in condemning Iran’s aggression that undermines freedom of navigation, and they exchanged views on next steps.