Trump, Netanyahu reaffirm close coordination as Middle East tensions escalate

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call with US President Donald Trump, during which the two agreed to continue coordination between their countries "on various fronts," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

During the call on Thursday, Trump briefed Netanyahu on US actions in the Gulf, the statement said, without elaborating, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu raised the "severity" of remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his aides concerning Israel, the statement said, without specifying which remarks Netanyahu was referring to.

Israeli officials have recently criticized Erdogan for accusing Israel of undermining US-Iran diplomacy and for calling its government "war-addicted." Israel has also voiced concern over a possible US sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkiye.

The phone call came as the United States and Iran traded fresh attacks from Tuesday night through Thursday, marking a new round of escalation.

Allegedly in response to recent Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the United States launched strikes against multiple targets inside Iran over the past days, resulting in casualties and infrastructure damage.

In retaliation, Iran launched missile and drone strikes on US military bases and facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan.

Meanwhile, Israel's military chief, Eyal Zamir, said Israel was "closely monitoring developments in Iran and Lebanon and ready for immediate action," while Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military was "alert and ready for the resumption of the campaign."

Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday that Israeli forces would remain in Lebanon until Hezbollah is fully disarmed.

"We did not ask permission from any party to enter Lebanon, and we do not need permission to remain in Lebanon," Katz said in a statement released by his office.

“Except for the headline, no changes have been made to the story by Education Post staff.”