On Sunday, President Joe Biden of the United States stated that he would have a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and emphasized the necessity to avoid a full-scale war in the Middle East.
Before boarding Air Force One back to Washington, Biden expressed, “It must be avoided. We really must avoid it.” However, he did not disclose when he planned to speak with Netanyahu.
“We have taken corresponding precautions to protect our embassy and personnel who wish to leave, but we have not reached that stage yet. We are working closely with France and many other countries,” he added.
On Sunday, Israel continued its airstrikes on Hezbollah targets within Lebanon, while also launching attacks on the Houthi militants inside Yemen, marking the escalation of conflicts in the Middle East with another front. Lebanon reported that the airstrikes resulted in the deaths of dozens of individuals. The Health Ministry controlled by the Houthi militants reported that Israel’s airstrikes caused at least 4 deaths and 29 injuries.
Israel’s airstrikes have inflicted heavy blows on the Iran-backed Hezbollah, with its leader Hassan Nasrallah reportedly killed in an airstrike on Friday, September 27. Following this, Hezbollah launched a new round of rocket attacks on Israel, and Iran vowed to avenge Nasrallah’s death.
Hezbollah has frequently launched rockets towards Israel over the past 11 months, with Israel retaliating through airstrikes. The conflicts have forced tens of thousands of Israelis and Lebanese to evacuate the areas near the Israel-Lebanon border.
The Biden administration is attempting to facilitate a negotiated settlement to allow these people to return home safely and prevent broader regional conflicts.
Earlier on Sunday, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby warned that despite Nasrallah’s death, Hezbollah would regroup. “We are watching how they fill that leadership vacuum. It will be challenging.”
The White House continues to urge Israel and Hezbollah to agree on a temporary 21-day ceasefire. The agreement was proposed last week by the United States, France, and other countries during the gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.
(This article referenced reports from the Associated Press and Reuters)