Israeli Prime Minister’s OfficeUS president Joe Biden spoke with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu for 30 minutes. It was their first phone call since August. They discussed Israel’s planned retaliation against Iran’s missile attack last week. The White House described it as “direct” but also “productive”, adding that Biden had agreed to keep in “close” contact in the coming days. Vice President Kamala Harris joined the call. Israel’s Defence minister Yoav Galant spoke shortly after. Two forces are at play. Joe Biden is reluctant to see the US drawn into a war against Iran, which he believes would be unnecessary. Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah energised Israelis desperate to escape the grinding war of attrition along their border with Lebanon. Lebanon was a place of success and progress for them. This is in stark contrast to Gaza. Benjamin Netanyahu, despite Israel’s onslaught in Gaza, which has killed at least 42, 000 people, many of whom were civilians, has not been successful in achieving his two war goals – the destruction and recovery of hostages. Hamas continues to fight and holds about 100 hostages. Many of them may be dead. The damage done to Israel’s enemy, Hezbollah, in Lebanon, and Hamas, in Gaza, has led some Israelis to feel compelled to launch a direct attack on Iran. A devastating air attack against Iran is attractive to them. Many Israelis have their sights set on heavily fortified sites in the mountains, where Iran has nuclear facilities they fear could be used for a bomb. The US believes Iran will not make a nuclear bomb. He told me that it was “the 11th hour”.Like the opposition politician and former general Benny Gantz, Bennett believes Iran is weaker than it has been for decades because of the damage done to Hezbollah and Hamas. He told me it was the “11th hour”.Like opposition politician and former General Benny Gantz Bennett believes Iran has become weaker in recent years because of the damage caused to Hezbollah, and Hamas. Bennett says that they were a sort of insurance policy for Iran against a strike. Bennett says that both arms are now pretty much neutralised. Bennett sees this moment as an opportunity to do real harm to Iran’s Islamic Regime. He adds, “Here’s what.” The strategy with Iran is not going to be implemented tomorrow. “We must accelerate the fall of this regime. If Iran gets a nuclear weapon it is likely that they will use it to save the regime. Middle East conflict: What will happen? Bennett recalled two Israeli strikes on nuclear facilities that he believes made Middle East safer – in Iraq, 1981, and Syria, 2007. “But we saved [Bashar al -] Assad’s world with nuclear weapons. “We have to do the thankless work of destroying the nuclear facilities of some of the worst regimes around the world. We are doing the job, despite all the criticism. “And if that bomb is found, it’s everybody’s problem. It’s not our responsibility. I want to know how Londoners feel when an intercontinental missile with a nuke is launched. We cannot let that happen.” Oren RosenfeldIran has been at war with Israel since April after Israel killed leading Iranian generals in a massive airstrike against the Iranian embassy. Iran’s response was a missile attack on Israel. The escalation continues. The latest was on Tuesday last week, in response to Israel’s attack on Iran’s ally Hezbollah and the assassination Hassan Nasrallah. Israel’s Prime Minister vowed to strike back after Iran launched a massive ballistic missile attack. President Biden was reluctant in Gaza to restrain Israel. Israel has been “urged” to minimize harm to civilians living in Lebanon. He has insisted that Israel should not respond to the Iranians by striking Iran’s nuclear facility. The US believes that Iran is not on the verge of making a nuclear weapon. President Biden said that Israel must defend itself, but not by attacking Iranian nukes or its oil industry. The US is afraid of being dragged into a conflict it does not want. And there are concerns that if Iran can ride out an attack it will go for broke to produce a nuclear warhead for its missiles.The next phases in this spiralling war depend on the extent of Israel’s retaliation – which may come any day now.Middle EastIsrael-Gaza warIsraelGazaIranHamasJoe Biden
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