President Joe Biden called for a halt to the fighting in Lebanon today, in response to questions from reporters about whether an Israeli ground offensive into Lebanon was imminent.

“It’s time for a ceasefire,” Biden told the press in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

When asked about the United States’ potential reaction to missile strikes targeting US naval vessels in the Red Sea, Biden stated, “We’re responding.”

Earlier in the day, Biden issued a statement regarding the death of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in Lebanon.

“Hassan Nasrallah and the terrorist group he led, Hezbollah, were responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade reign of terror,” Biden said. “His death from an Israeli airstrike is a measure of justice for his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians.”

The President added, “The strike that killed Nasrallah took place within the larger conflict that began with Hamas’s massacre on October 7, 2023. The following day, Nasrallah made the pivotal choice to ally with Hamas and initiate what he termed a ‘northern front’ against Israel.”

Biden emphasized, “The United States fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and any other Iranian-backed terrorist groups. Just yesterday, I instructed my Secretary of Defense to bolster the defensive posture of US military forces in the Middle East to deter further aggression and reduce the chance of a wider regional war.”

He concluded by saying, “Ultimately, our goal is to reduce the tensions in both Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic channels. In Gaza, we have been working toward a ceasefire agreement endorsed by the UN Security Council, as well as the release of hostages. In Lebanon, we have been negotiating to ensure the safe return of people to their homes in both Israel and southern Lebanon. It is time for these agreements to come to fruition, for the threats to Israel to be neutralized, and for the region to move towards greater stability.”

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi confirmed on Saturday that Nasrallah was killed in a strike on a Hezbollah command center in Beirut on Friday. Nasrallah was eliminated along with several others in the operation.

{Matzav.com}