U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly spoke on the phone for about 30 minutes on Thursday evening, as Israel braces for retaliatory attacks threatened by Iran and Hezbollah following two recent assassinations in Beirut and Tehran.
The United States believes Iran will retaliate for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in its capital, for which Israel has not taken responsibility, according to the Axios news outlet.
In addition, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed revenge for the Israeli strike that killed his deputy and Hezbollah’s military chief, Fuad Shukr, in the terror group’s stronghold Dahieh, in southern Beirut.
Speaking remotely at the funeral of Shukr on Thursday, Nasrallah stressed that he expected Iran, as well as its proxy terror groups in Iraq and Yemen, to retaliate against Israel for the death of Haniyeh.
“We are not talking about separate fronts anymore. This is an open campaign on all fronts, and there is no doubt the war has entered a new phase,” Nasrallah said.
Israel should prepare for “rage and revenge on all the fronts supporting Gaza,” Nasrallah said, adding that Israelis “will weep terribly” in the coming days.
According to a White House readout, Biden “reaffirmed his commitment to Israel’s security against all threats from Iran, including its proxy terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.”
The two leaders also “discussed efforts to support Israel’s defense against threats, including against ballistic missiles and drones, to include new defensive U.S. military deployments.”
The Iranian regime launched a massive combined missile, rocket and drone assault against Israel in April, which was almost completely intercepted by the joint efforts of Israel, the U.S. and several allied nations in the region.
Among those in the alliance was the Kingdom of Jordan, whose Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi, a vocal critic of Israel, stated on Thursday that Jordan would once again intercept any projectiles entering its territory, which runs along almost the entirety of Israel’s eastern border.
The White House also noted that Vice President Kamala Harris, who recently replaced Joe Biden as the U.S. Democratic presidential candidate, joined the call.
Biden also reiterated “the importance of ongoing efforts to de-escalate broader tensions in the region,” a message underlined by comments he made the same day at a U.S. airbase, where he welcomed a plane carrying detainees released by Russia.
The president told Netanyahu that the assassination of Haniyeh, which Israel has not officially commented on, had diminished the chances for a ceasefire with Hamas. He urged Netanyahu to quickly reach a hostage release and truce deal.
“We have the basis for a ceasefire. He should move on it and they should move on it now,” Biden said, adding he was “very concerned” over recent tensions in the region.
