US President Joe Biden reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “stop making a fool of me” during a tense phone conversation on Thursday.
The heated exchange came after Mr Netanyahu told Joe Biden that Israel was negotiating a ceasefire deal with Hamas in exchange for hostages, despite months of inconclusive talks. Biden had earlier also expressed suspicions that Netanyahu was deliberately delaying it for internal political reasons, Channel 12 reported.
At the end of the call, Mr Biden gave a stern warning, “Don’t take the president lightly.” Joe Biden also reportedly criticised the timing of the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, calling it “bad timing”.
The US president was reportedly concerned that the operation could jeopardise the potential culmination of talks on a ceasefire and hostage release, the New York Times reported. An unnamed US official indicated that Biden warned that the killing could lead to a wider regional conflict that Biden was trying to prevent.
Netanyahu’s office issued a statement Saturday night saying “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not discuss what was said in closed-door talks with the President of the United States.”
Tensions in the Middle East have reached a boiling point after the recent killing of senior Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. Iran-backed Hezbollah retaliated on Sunday by firing dozens of rockets at northern Israel, some of which hit security forces in the Beit Hillel area.
A clip shared on X showed Israel’s Iron Dome batteries firing multiple Tamir interceptors at Hezbollah rockets targeting the Jewish state.
An amazing clip from tonight as Israel’s Iron Dome batteries fired multiple Tamir interceptors at Hezbollah rockets targeting northern Israel. pic.twitter.com/lcbIH9shwM
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) August 4, 2024
US defense officials have arrived in Israel, bracing for potential retaliation from Iran and its allies. The Pentagon has beefed up its regional military presence in anticipation of further escalation.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in the killings, raising fears of a coordinated attack by Iran and Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has warned of “challenging days ahead” and vowed to “be prepared for any scenario”. US President Biden expects Iran to back down despite its threats.
Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Beirut has advised Indian nationals not to travel to or stay in Lebanon until further notice.
