Biden to speak with Netanyahu as Israeli PM warns war with Iran’s proxies could spread Gaza misery to Lebanon

Tel Aviv – President Biden was scheduled to speak Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone, two sources familiar with the plans told CBS News. It will be the first meeting between the leaders in two months, and it will come as Israel plans revenge promised for Iran missile attack last week.

The high-level discussion will also come amid growing concern that Israeli retaliation against Iran could accelerate the escalation of violence in the Middle East into a wider regional war, potentially drawing Iran and the US directly into war.

New Israeli airstrikes hit the southern Beirut suburb of Dahieh on Wednesday – a stronghold of the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. The Israeli army said it was headed for Hezbollah’s weapons production facility and intelligence headquarters in Dahieh.

The Israel Defense Forces said, on the other hand, it was increasing the number of troops deployed in southern Lebanon, also a long-time Hezbollah stronghold, and advancing westward into the region. Israel launched a cross-border campaign against Hezbollah at the end of September, saying “there will be limited, localized, and targeted attacks based on accurate information.”

Since then, the IDF has ordered people in more than 100 towns and villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate, and according to Lebanese government figures, more than 1,000 people have been killed in the country since Israeli military operations began a week ago.

The IDF said Hezbollah launched nearly 180 bombs into Israel on Tuesday alone, sending thousands of people in northern Israel to bomb shelters. A powerful group of Iranian proxies began firing rockets at Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, right after the Hamas counterpart. an ongoing war broke out in the Gaza Strip for its terrorist massacre the day before.

The IDF says Hezbollah has fired more than 10,000 rockets into Israel in the past year, most of which were intercepted by missiles defended by Israel or landed in empty areas.

In a speech on Tuesday night, Netanyahu attacked Hezbollah and warned the people of Lebanon that if they fail to reject the Iranian-backed group, it will mean “a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering like we are seeing in Gaza.”

The death toll from the war in Gaza rose to more than 42,000 on Wednesday, the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled Palestinian territory said, as Israel stepped up its offensive in the northern part of the enclave.

At least 45 people were killed and dozens were injured near the town of Jabalia in northern Gaza. Three hospitals in the region were given evacuation orders and told they had 24 hours to evacuate all their patients and staff.

“It’s like hell. We can’t get out,” Mohamed Awda, who lives with his six siblings and parents, told The Associated Press by phone. The AP said an explosion was heard in the background as he spoke.

Local residents say thousands of people have been trapped since Israel launched its latest offensive in Jabalia on Sunday.

“Quadcopters are everywhere, and they shoot at anyone. You can’t even open the window,” Awda told AP.

Six people were injured on Wednesday in a stabbing attack in the northern Israeli city of Hadera. Police say the attacker was “neutral” after first fleeing the scene.

CBS News producer Michal Ben-Gal in Jerusalem and reporter Weijia Jiang in Washington contributed to this report.