Will ‘remain in close contact’: Joe Biden dials Israel PM Netanyahu over Hezbollah issue, condemns Iran’s missile attack

The White House on Wednesday issued a readout of US President Joe Biden’s call with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that said discussions about Israel's security took place. The conversation involving US Vice President and Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris, condemned Iran's October 1 ballistic missile attack. This marks first conversation in almost two months amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Stressing on the urgent need to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza while maintaining close contact with Israeli leaders, the US President emphasised the importance of diplomatic efforts. Regarding the Lebanon issue, the White House said that the US President emphasised the need for a diplomatic arrangement to safely return both Lebanese and Israeli civilians to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line. 

This comes days after military commanders of Iran backed militia outfit Hezbollah were targeted in a series of attacks led by Israel which followed a counter response from Iran.

Affirming Israel's right to protect its citizens from Hezbollah attacks, the White House' statement mentioned that the US President will “remain in close contact over the coming days both directly and through their national security teams.” 

It recognised that “there is a need to minimize harm” to Israel's civilians specifically in the densely populated areas of Beirut. At the same time, it alleged that the militant group fired “thousands of missiles and rockets into Israel over the past year alone.” The press release dated October 9 stated, “On Gaza, the leaders discussed the urgent need to renew diplomacy to release the hostages held by Hamas.” 

It added, “The President also discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the imperative to restore access to the north, including by reinvigorating the corridor from Jordan immediately.”

During Joe Biden's "direct," 30-minute phone call with Israeli PM, the two discussed "a range of issues," press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday. After Joe Biden suggested that Israel's response to the Iranian attack should be "proportional," the US is making efforts to move out Americans from Lebanon ahead of a potential Israeli attack.

“The US embassy in Beirut remains open and can help Americans who need emergency passports or other documentation and the US will continue to make airplanes available as long as the Beirut airport remains open,” ANI quoted Karine Jean-Pierre as saying.

According to ANI report, the Israeli military does not plan to scale back its current attacks in Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Wednesday claimed that it has conducted more than 1,100 airstrikes across the border in recent weeks.