In response to the possibility of an Israeli ground incursion, Biden: It is time for a ceasefire in Lebanon

US President Joe Biden stressed that "it is time for a ceasefire in Lebanon," in response to press inquiries about whether an Israeli ground incursion into Lebanon was "inevitable."

Israel on Thursday rejected global calls for a ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah, defying Washington and pressing ahead with attacks that have killed hundreds in Lebanon and raised fears of a full-scale regional war, Reuters reported.

"We will respond," Biden told reporters as he left a church in Delaware when asked if the United States would respond to missile attacks on its warships in the Red Sea.

The White House confirmed that Biden had held a call on Saturday with his vice president, Kamala Harris, and the national security team to review the latest developments in the Middle East, review the status of US forces in the region, and direct diplomatic efforts to calm conflicts.

The White House added in a statement that Biden and Harris will continue to receive regular updates on the matter.

Biden on Saturday described Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a "just measure" for his many victims, and said the United States fully supports Israel's right to defend itself against Iranian-backed groups.

He added in a statement published by the White House that he directed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to strengthen the defensive posture of US military forces in the Middle East to deter any aggression and reduce the risk of a wider war.

He said the United States ultimately aims to calm the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic means.

Biden administration officials have been pressing unsuccessfully for months to end the war in Gaza, and more recently to halt the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The fighting intensified after communications devices used by Hezbollah members exploded, killing dozens and wounding nearly 3,000.

The escalation has raised fears that the conflict could spiral out of control, potentially drawing Iran, Hezbollah's main backer, and the United States into the conflict.

"The United States fully supports Israel's right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and any other Iranian-backed terrorist groups," Biden said, adding that Washington was seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflicts, but he stopped short of criticizing Israel's actions.

(Free America)