Biden urges Netanyahu to 'stop escalating regional tensions'

US President Joe Biden has warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against escalation amid a regional war risk, said a report on Friday.  

In a "tough" phone call on Thursday, Biden told Netanyahu to "stop escalating tension in the region," and "move immediately toward a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal," Axios reported, citing two anonymous US officials. 

The White House said that during Thursday's call, Biden and Netanyahu discussed US military deployments to support Israel against various threats.

"The President discussed efforts to support Israel’s defense against threats, including against ballistic missiles and drones, to include new defensive U.S. military deployments," it said in a statement, with Biden reaffirming his commitment to Israel's security against all threats from Iran.

Biden also stressed the importance of ongoing efforts to deescalate broader tensions in the region.

According to the Axios, the US officials said that Biden called Netanyahu to discuss US-Israeli joint military preparations for retaliations by Iran and Hezbollah, and also to make clear he was "not pleased" with the direction of Netanyahu.

Biden complained to Netanyahu that the two had spoken last week at the White House about securing the hostage deal, but instead Netanyahu went ahead with the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, one US official told Axios.

The US will help Israel defeat an Iranian attack, Biden told Netanyahu, but after that he expects "no more escalation" from the Israeli side and immediate movement toward a hostage deal, according to the official.

Biden also warned Netanyahu that if he escalates again, he "shouldn't count on the US to bail him out," the official said.

Meanwhile, there are reports that the US is poised to move resources to the Middle East if needed to defend itself and its allies, including Israel.

In a phone call on Friday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin informed his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant about Washington's "future defensive force posture changes" in the Middle East.

Nearly 39,500 Palestinians have been killed over a period of almost 10 months since Israel launched its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7 last year, following an attack by Palestinian group Hamas.

The conflict has sparked increased regional tensions across the Middle East, with the latest escalation earlier this week when Haniyeh was assassinated during a visit to Iran.

Despite international organizations, including the UN, and regional countries are urging a cease-fire in Gaza and de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East, Netanyahu has vowed to "exact a heavy price" for any attack on Israel.