White House says Biden, Netanyahu discussed Israeli response to Iranian ballistic missile attack

​​​​​​​By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed Tel Aviv’s planned retaliation for last week's Iranian ballistic missile attack against Israel, the White House said Wednesday.

"They continued their discussion on a response to Iran's attack last week, a discussion that certainly started at the staff level, and now the two leaders were able to have a productive, straightforward, honest conversation, as they tend to do," spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.

Iran said it carried out the Oct. 1 strike on Israel in retaliation for the assassinations of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July, and last month's killing of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. The Islamic Republic has warned that it will respond decisively if Israel retaliates.

The telephone call between Biden and Netanyahu took place Wednesday morning, but an official readout has yet to be released by the White House. Jean-Pierre said one would be issued "shortly."