Biden, Netanyahu speak for 1st time in months as Israel plans response to Iran attack

(TEL AVIV) — President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Wednesday, according to the White House.

Vice President Kamala Harris also joined the call, the White House said.

It marked the first phone call between the two leaders in months, and since fighting has intensified in the Middle East as Israel continues its war against Hamas in Gaza while also seeking to root out Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon.

Biden and Netanyahu were expected to discuss Israel’s plans to strike Iran during their conversation, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The call was first reported by Axios.

Israel is currently weighing its response to a missile attack by Iran last week. The barrage of strikes was largely shot down by Israel, with the help of the U.S. military, and did not result in any major loss of life.

The Biden administration hoped to rein in the Israeli answer to the strikes. But so far, his diplomatic efforts in the region have been largely thwarted.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was set to meet with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in Washington this week, but Gallant postponed his trip to the U.S.

When asked why Gallant was postponing the trip, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh referred questions to the Israeli government.

“You’d have to speak to the Israelis on that one. I was just told that he postponed his trip,” she said during Tuesday’s press briefing.

An hour before the Pentagon’s announcement, Israeli newspaper Haaretz cited sources as saying Netanyahu had “demanded” Gallant not leave for the U.S. until he spoke with Biden.

Benny Gantz, Israel’s former defense minister, posted on X that the cancellation of the trip harmed Israel’s national security “for personal and political considerations.”

ABC News’ Luis Martinez and Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.

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