Biden warns Iran to 'be careful' about actions in region
World
Raisi, Salman hold phone conversation
(Web Desk) - US President Joe Biden on Wednesday issued a stark warning to Iran to “be careful” around its actions in the region following Hamas’ attack on Israel.
During a roundtable with Jewish community leaders on the administration’s efforts to provide support for Israel, Biden stressed the assistance that the US is providing, adding that he's been frequently speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The US is "surging additional military assistance to the Israeli Defense Force including ammunition, interceptors to replenish the Iron Dome, we moved the US carrier fleet to the eastern Mediterranean and are sending more fighter jets there, to that region, and made it clear, made it clear to the Iranians – be careful," Biden said.
Meanwhile, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman held their first phone call since both countries renewed diplomatic ties, an Iranian presidential aide said Wednesday.
During the call, both leaders discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, “the need to end war crimes,” as well as Islamic unity, Raisi’s deputy for political affairs, Mohammad Jamshidi, said on X, the platform previously known as Twitter.
Biden calls UAE president to discuss situation
US President Joe Biden spoke Wednesday with United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan “to discuss the terrorist attacks on Israel,” according to the White House.
“The President stressed his condemnation of Hamas’s terror and his warning against anyone who might seek to exploit the current situation,” the White House said in a readout of the call. “The two leaders also discussed the importance of ensuring humanitarian assistance reaches those in need.”
Al Nahyan and Biden also discussed the importance of coordination among international parties in calling for "restraint and immediate de-escalation" as rising violence gravely threatens regional security and stability, the UAE state-run WAM news agency reported.
Earlier Wednesday, Biden told Jewish community members during a roundtable at the White House that he’d been in touch with a number of his foreign counterparts following Hamas’ attack on Israel on Saturday. “There are countries in the region that are trying to be of some help, including Arab nations trying to do so,” he told participants.
Meanwhile, The US State Department is warning Americans to reconsider travel to Israel in the wake of the weekend’s deadly Hamas attacks.
The agency raised its travel advisory level on Wednesday to "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" due to civil unrest and terrorism, advising that “the situation in Israel remains dynamic; mortar and rocket fire may take place without warning.”
“Individuals should follow the instructions of security and emergency response officials,” an updated travel advisory said.
“While Ben Gurion International Airport remains open, we are aware that several major airlines have announced that they have suspended flights,” the advisory states. “Please check with the airlines on the availability of flights and flight status. U.S. citizens in Gaza who wish to leave and can do so safely are advised to check the status of the Rafah Crossing into Egypt.”
The travel advisory for the West Bank has also been raised to level 3, while the advisory for Gaza remains at the most severe – "Level 4: Do Not Travel."
