WASHINGTON, Oct 8 (Askume) – U.S. President Joe Biden may speak by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss plans to strike Iran, Axios reported late on Tuesday, citing three U.S. officials.
“We hope to use this call to determine the extent of Israeli retaliation,” Axios quoted a US official as saying.
Axios quoted a US official as saying that Washington wants to ensure that Israel does not launch significant but excessive strikes against targets in Iran.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.
The Middle East is awaiting Israel’s response to Iran’s missile attack last week , which Tehran said was in retaliation for Israeli military escalation in Lebanon. The Iranian attack ultimately killed no Israelis and Washington has described it as ineffective.
Netanyahu promised that arch-rival Iran would pay for its missile attacks, while Tehran said any retaliation would be met with “massive destruction”, raising fears of a wider war in the oil-producing region. The United States may also take part.
Biden said on Friday that if he were Israel, he would consider the option of striking Iranian oil fields. He also said he believed Israel had not yet decided how to respond to Iran.
Israel faces calls from the United States and other allies for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon but says it will continue military operations until Israelis are safe.
Israel said it was defending itself after Hamas militants and other militants supporting Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023 , killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages.
The United States has expressed support for Israel’s actions against Iran-backed extremist targets such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
But according to the local Palestinian health ministry, Israel, and specifically Netanyahu, is blamed for the killing of approximately 42,000 people in the Gaza War and more than 2,000 in Lebanon.faced widespread condemnation.
According to Palestinian and Lebanese officials, approximately 3 million people have been displaced in Gaza and Lebanon due to Israeli military operations , and Gaza is also facing a humanitarian crisis due to shortages of food and fresh water .
