Netanyahu warns of ‘Gaza-like situation’ in Lebanon; Biden dials Israeli PM to discuss response to Iran attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu predicted an ominous fate for Lebanon on Wednesday if its citizens continued to support the Hezbollah. The assertion came ahead of US President Joe Biden's call with Israeli PM to discuss a potential response to an Iranian attack earlier this month.

Biden and Netanyahu spoke over the phone on Wednesday as Tel Aviv gears up to launch a response to last week's missile attack by Iran. The call was their first since August 21 and comes amid reported tensions between their administrations. Israel had launched its offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon during this seven-week gap.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now in conversation with the President of the United States Joe Biden, at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

In a video address directed to the people of Lebanon, Netanyahu said, "You have an opportunity to save Lebanon before it falls into the abyss of a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza. I say to you, the people of Lebanon: Free your country from Hezbollah so that this war can end. You stand at a significant crossroads ... Stand up and take back your country. If you don't, Hezbollah will continue to try to fight Israel from densely populated areas at your expense. It doesn't care if Lebanon is dragged into a wider war." 

Meanwhile Hezbollah has dropped its demand for a truce in Gaza as a condition for reaching a ceasefire in Lebanon.

"We support the political efforts led by (Parliament Speaker Nabih) Berri under the banner of achieving a ceasefire. Once the ceasefire is firmly established and diplomacy can reach it, all other details will be discussed and decisions will be made collaboratively," CNN quoted Hezbollah Deputy Secretery General Naim Qassem as saying.

The Times of Israel cited an Israeli television Channel 12 report on Tuesday to indicate that the United States and Arab states have launched covert talks with Iran for a comprehensive ceasefire aimed at calming all war fronts at once.

(With inputs from agencies)