Trump congratulated Netanyahu after attack on Hezbollah

US presidential candidate Donald Trump “congratulated” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “on the intense and determined operations that Israel carried out against Hezbollah,” Netanyahu’s office said yesterday.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham joined the call.

Earlier in the day, Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister and US President Joe Biden will speak on the phone to discuss Israel’s response to Iran’s attack.

The last phone call between Biden and Netanyahu was on 22 August, a month before Tel Aviv launched the largest military attack on Lebanon in almost 20 years.

The call comes less than a month before the US elections, amid concerns in the White House that Netanyahu favours Trump over the Democratic candidate, current Vice President Kamala Harris, and may interfere in the elections, according to the Hebrew Maariv newspaper.

In a press conference last week, Biden was asked about Netanyahu’s possible interference in the 5 November election, to which he replied: “No administration has helped Israel more than I have. None. None, none. And I think Bibi [Netanyahu] should remember that.”

“And whether he’s trying to influence the election, I don’t know – but I’m not counting on that,” he added.

Hezbollah: Without US backing, Israel’s war on Gaza, Lebanon would have ceased