Against the backdrop of the Wall Street Journal report (which was denied), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden spoke on Saturday evening about the latest developments in the war in Gaza and the continuation planned by Israel.
Earlier, Prime Minister Netanyahu clarified that he told the American president in the conversation that Israel intends to continue the mission for as long as it takes to complete all its goals, and in the last hour the American president spoke to reporters outside the White House, and when asked about the conversation, he responded, "I did not ask him to reach a ceasefire in Gaza."
A long conversation that prevented an attack in the north. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden, Photo: AP and Oren Ben-Hakon
An investigation in the American newspaper reported that US President Joe Biden spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and asked to refrain from a deliberate attack against Hezbollah immediately after October 7, fearing that it would lead to a regional war. According to the report, Israel had intelligence information, which the US considered unreliable, according to which Hezbollah was planning to imitate Hamas and attack on the northern border as part of a combined offensive.
While Israeli warplanes were already in the air waiting for permission to attack, Biden spoke with Netanyahu on October 11 and told the prime minister to think about the consequences of the military operation in the north. The attack was not carried out and the US sent two aircraft carriers to the area to deter Hezbollah and Iran from joining the fighting against Israel. According to the report, the US also sent a nuclear submarine to strengthen deterrence.
Netanyahu's office denied the report shortly thereafter. "The publication is incorrect," it said. "Already on the first day of the war, Prime Minister Netanyahu decided that Israel would act first to achieve a decisive victory in the south, while deterring firmly in the north. This policy was adopted by the cabinet."
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