US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned on Thursday of the risk of an "all-out war" in the Middle East, as "Israel" escalates its aggression on Lebanon.

"We now face the risk of an all-out war," Austin said during a trilateral press conference in London following an AUKUS defense ministerial meeting.

Austin voiced similar concerns on September 20 following a meeting with Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant.

"Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant today and reiterated his concern over the current escalation of exchanges between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah," a statement issued by the Pentagon read.

The US alleges it is pressuring the Israeli regime into ceasing hostilities in Gaza and Lebanon. Despite this, the Biden administration has delivered more than 500 military equipment shipments since the start of the war on Gaza in 2023, including ammunition, bombs, rockets, and defense systems such as Iron Dome interceptors. 

In early August, the US approved a $20 billion sale of military equipment to "Israel." 

On August 25, the Financial Times published a report detailing that the 15 largest defense contractors are set to earn a net profit of $52 billion this year.

These figures suggest that Western efforts for a ceasefire are merely a smokescreen.

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