US President Joe Biden spoke with the leaders of Qatar and Egypt on Tuesday to discuss efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region and bring a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, the White House said.
The region is on edge over the Gaza war and possible reprisals by Iran and its allies after the killing of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah.
Iran-backed Hezbollah vowed to avenge the killing of top military commander Fuad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut last week.
Iran has also vowed to retaliate to the assassination in Tehran last week of Ismail Haniyeh, head of Palestinian group Hamas.
The strike that killed Shukr on July 30 was the second time Israel had struck Beirut’s southern suburbs in 10 months of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli that are taking place in parallel with the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
