<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The United States said Friday it supported ally Israel's right to self-defense after deadly attacks as well as rocket fire from Lebanon that triggered Israeli strikes.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>"The targeting of innocent civilians of any nationality is unconscionable. The United States stands with the government and people of Israel," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>The United States also voiced support for Israel over Lebanon, without explicitly backing the Jewish state's strikes on its northern neighbor in response to the rocket fire by militants.</div><div><br></div><div>"As we urge de-escalation on all sides, we recognize Israel's ability to exercise its inherent right to self-defense," another State Department spokesperson said.</div><div><br></div><div>"The use of Lebanon as a launchpad for rocket attacks against Israel only puts Lebanon at risk and increases the potential for further conflict," he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Violence has soared since Wednesday when Israeli police clashed with Palestinians inside Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, just as believers in the world's three major monotheistic religions were celebrating major holidays.</div><div><br></div><div>On Friday, two British-Israeli sisters aged 16 and 20 were killed and their mother seriously wounded in a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank, while an Italian tourist was killed and seven other people wounded in Tel Aviv when a car rammed into people walking on a cycling path.</div><div><br></div><div>The vocal US support for Israel comes after an unusually public spat as President Joe Biden pressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to drop a bid to weaken the judiciary.</div><div><br></div><div>The plan by the hard-right government, which Netanyahu has put on hold, has set off major protests by Israelis who say it violates democratic principles. According to AFP reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>