Biden, Netanyahu discuss U.S. military deployments to support Israel (2024)

U.S. President Joe Biden, in a phone call on Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, discussed new U.S. defensive military deployments to support Israel against threats such as missiles and drones, the White House said.

The conversation comes as the region braces for possible retaliation by Hezbollah and Hamas for the assassinations of two of their most senior members earlier this week.

According to the readout of the call issued by the White House, "The President reaffirmed his commitment to Israel's security against all threats from Iran, including its proxy terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. 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. Together with this commitment to Israel's defense, the President stressed the importance of ongoing efforts to de-escalate broader tensions in the region. Vice President Harris also joined the call."

Meirav Leshem Gonen, mother of Romi Gonen, told the protest that "I am proud to be part of this nation. Part of the families fighting against evil – and there are many types of families. Families of the bereaved, families of the wounded, families of those murdered, families evacuated from the south, families evacuated from the north. Together, we all cry out - enough! Now is the time for our country to take one courageous action and advance a regional diplomatic agreement.

I want to speak to my Romi and to every hostage who might hear us now:

We are coming for you! With giant steps! We are acting on every front – military, political, diplomatic – both openly and covertly – to ensure that in the coming days, you will start returning here. We will not rest until you are all back home. Stay strong. We love you."

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Inbal Tzach, the cousin of Adi Shoham – who was released from Gaza with her two children and her mother, but whose husband Tal remains there – told the protest that "their soul is still in Gaza, because their father is, and they know what it's like there. I call on the decision makers to make the brave decision to bring Tal home."

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Anat Angrest, mother of kidnapped soldier Matan Angrest, told the protest that "we recently got signs of life from a video found in Gaza. My son is wounded and looks into the camera. The prime minister hasn't saved you from Gaza in 300 days. He talks about the military maneuvers, but not about the hostages. If we don't bring them back now, the new Gaza will be built upon [the dead hostages. Instead of bragging about the achievements of the soldiers, sign this deal as soon as possible. Every day, Matan has been suffering in the dark."

Addressing her son directly, she said: "I hope you can see us. There is a nation that doesn't want to sacrifice you. To my other children: the prime minister has the keys to bring your brother home. We'll be sure that he uses them in time, to bring him back alive!"

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Yitzhak Horn, whose sons Yair and Eitan are held captive by Hamas in Gaza, said at the Tel Aviv hostage rally, "I heard that another Yair had a birthday this week, but he celebrated his in Miami and my son marked his in Gaza." He was referring to Benjamin Netanyahu's son Yair, who lives in Miami. Prime Minister Netanyahu and his wifesaw their son on his birthday, when they were in Mar-a-Lago for the premier's meeting with Donald Trump.

"Yair and Eitan aren't posters, they're a whole world," he says, describing his sons and their personalities, hobbies. "We're all a family here. Nothing in life prepares you for the situation in which the most important people to you are kidnapped for 300 days."

"Everything is frozen in time. I have been fighting, with the other families, for nine months … for Yair, Eitan, and the other hostages who need to be here," Horn added.

"Our reality is not fate, we can change it. Those responsible and those guilty will pay for what happened on October 7," he continued.

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Here's what you need to know on day 300 of the war:

■ Thousands of people gathered at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv for a march and then rally calling for the release of the hostages after 300 days in captivity.

■ About 200 right-wing protesters in Tel Aviv demonstrated against detention of soldiers suspected of abusing Gazan detainee. Otzma Yehudit lawmaker Limor Son Har-Melech said the Military Advocate General is "alienated from her people, and persecuting our soldiers."

■ IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari announced that there have so far been no changes to the instructions to the public issued by Home Front Command, amid rising tensions with Iran and Hezbollah.

■ IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that "The IDF conducted only one airstrike on Tuesday night in Lebanon, targeting Fuad Shukr with a precise airstrike. There was no additional airstrike in the Middle East that night, nor was there any missile or UAV," referring to the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.

■ Air Algerie has temporarily suspended all flights to and from Lebanon until further notice, the Algerian state TV said.

■ The organizers of the weekly Saturday night protests at Kaplan Junction have announced the cancellation of this week's protest due to concerns over a further security escalation.

■ According to a report from AFP, Yemen's Houthi leader promised a "military response" to the "dangerous escalation" that he believes Israel has provoked.

The assassination of terrorists, for lack of a better word, is good. It is the epitome of raw justice served. It is morally and ethically justifiable. But human sentiment, vendettas and natural rage aside, assassinations are not a strategy or a policy. They also rarely, if ever, change the fundamentals, parameters and dynamics of a conflict.

In terms of an ongoing conflict, assassinations are by definition tactical with very few examples in history of having strategic consequences, such as the political assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in 1914 that ignited World War I.

Before engaging in qualms, questions, reservations or skepticism on the real efficacy and cost-effectiveness of recent targeted killings carried out by Israel, an unequivocal and unambiguous caveat is required: This week's assassinations of senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Hamas' political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran were warranted and justified. In fact, the two – together with Mohammed Deif, the Hamas military commander whose killing in Gaza last month was confirmed by Israel on Thursday – deserved to be eliminated more than once if that were possible.

But that is not the question. The question is: was it smart?

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According to a report from AFP, Yemen's Houthi leader promised a "military response" to the "dangerous escalation" that he believes Israel has provoked.

In a televised speech, "Our position on these crimes ... is clear. There must be a military response to these crimes, which are dangerous, brazen and a major escalation by the Israeli enemy."