Netanyahu, Biden discuss Iranian attack via phone

JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephone call Sunday with US President Joe Biden following an Iranian attack against Israel.

The discussion “lasted 25 minutes, and discussed the Iranian attack on Israel,” private Israeli channel 12 reported without providing any details.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, about the matter in the second call between the two defense officials within 24 hours.

“Spoke with Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, about Israel’s defensive operations in the face of Iran’s attack,” Gallant wrote on X.

“We are prepared for any further threats, and are determined to defend our citizens,” he said.

Gallant thanked “Austin and the U.S. Administration for standing boldly with Israel.”

Earlier Sunday, the Israeli Ministerial Council for National Security Affairs authorized Netanyahu, Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz to make decisions to respond to the Iranian attack, according to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation.

The decision came after the Cabinet met in a fortified area in the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, coinciding with Iran beginning a retaliatory response to Israel’s alleged attack on the headquarters of its diplomatic mission in the Syrian capital.

The broadcasting corporation quoted an unnamed senior official who said Israel “will respond strongly to the missile launches from Iran.”

Israeli officials have vowed in the past few days that if Iran attacks Israel from its territory, the response will be within Iran.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi