Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden.
Washington/Jerusalem: US President Joe Biden spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on phone for the first time today amid preparations for Israel’s retaliatory attack on Iran. It is believed that this conversation took place on Israeli plans to retaliate against Iran. According to American time, Biden called Netanyahu late on Wednesday night. This is the first known conversation between the two leaders since August. The talks also come amid a sharp escalation in Israel’s conflict with Iran-backed Hezbollah amid efforts for a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza, which has dimmed the prospects for an Israel-Gaza ceasefire.
The talks come amid fears of Israeli retaliation following Iran’s missile attack on Tel Aviv following Israel’s military escalation in Lebanon last week. However, the Iranian attack ultimately resulted in no deaths in Israel and Washington described it as ineffective. Netanyahu has promised that arch enemy Iran will pay a heavy price for this missile attack. Whereas Tehran has said that if Israel takes any kind of retaliatory action, it will cause massive destruction. This has increased the possibility of a widespread war in the oil producing region. (Reuters)
