U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to hold a phone call on Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about any plans to strike Iran.
On Tuesday, Axios reported President Biden’s intention to call, citing three U.S. officials.
Purpose Of The Call
“We want to use the call to try and shape the limitations of
the Israeli retaliation,” a U.S. official was quoted as saying
by Axios.
Axios cited the U.S. official as saying that Washington wants to make sure Israel attacks targets in Iran that are significant without being disproportionate.
White House Remains Tight-Lipped
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.
The Middle East has been on edge awaiting Israel’s response
to a missile attack from Iran last week that Tehran carried out
in retaliation for Israel’s military escalation in Lebanon.
Washington called Iranian Attack Ineffective
The Iranian attack ultimately killed no one in Israel and Washington called it ineffective.
Netanyahu has promised that arch foe Iran would pay for its
missile attack.
On the other hand, Tehran has said any retaliation would be
met with “vast destruction”.
Fears Of A Wider War
This has raised fears of a wider war in the oil-producing region which could draw in the United States.
Biden said last Friday that he would think about alternatives to striking Iranian oil fields if he were in Israel’s shoes.
He thought that Israel had not concluded how to respond to Iran.
Calls For A Ceasefire
Israel has faced calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon by the United States and other allies.
It however said it will continue its military operations until Israelis are safe.
Israel says it is defending itself after Hamas militants
attack southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 and taking
250 hostages according to Israeli tallies, and other militants
like Hezbollah who support Hamas.
U.S. supports Israel going after Iran-backed extremist targets
The United States has said it supports Israel going after
Iran-backed extremist targets like Hezbollah and Hamas.
But Israel and Netanyahu in particular have faced widespread
condemnation over the nearly 42,000 killings in the Gaza war,
according to the local Palestinian health ministry, and the
deaths of over 2,000 people in Lebanon.
About three million people in Gaza and Lebanon have been
displaced by Israel’s military campaigns, according to
Palestinian and Lebanese officials.
Humanitarian Crisis In Gaza
Gaza is also facing a humanitarian crisis with a lack of food and fresh water.
(With inputs from Reuters)
