Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 02:06 pm
Washington – US President Joe Biden assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday of Washington’s commitment to defending Israel’s security “against all threats from Iran,” the White House said following the killing of a top Hamas leader in Tehran.
Biden was joined in the Oval Office by Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris to highlight “ongoing efforts to de-escalate broader tensions in the region,” the White House said.
Conversation Highlights:
The call came a day after Israel announced killing Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. The Netanyahu administration has not commented yet on the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, but Hamas blames Israel for the attack.
US Support:
The President discussed US support for Israel’s defense against threats including ballistic missiles and drones, referring to new defensive US military deployments.
Ongoing Conflict:
Israel has been engaged in fighting an October 7 attack by Hamas in the Gaza Strip that, according to an AFP toll based on official Israeli figures, killed 1,197 people, mainly civilians. The militants also seized 251 hostages, 111 of whom remain captive in Gaza, where 39 are confirmed to have died.
The retaliatory campaign by Israel has killed at least 39,480 people in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, which doesn’t break down civilian and militant casualties.
Response to Attacks
Israel said Shukr was killed following deadly rocket fire by Hezbollah last week into the annexed Golan Heights.
Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, the radical movement Hezbollah has fired nearly every day at southern Lebanon with Israel.
