Netanyahu and Biden
Netanyahu and BidenAmos Ben Gershom/GPO

US President Joe Biden is scheduled to hold a critical phone call on Wednesday morning with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Israel's plans to strike Iran in retaliation for its ballistic missile attack on Israel last week, three US officials told Axios on Tuesday.

This conversation would mark the first contact between Biden and Netanyahu in two months.

On Tuesday night, Netanyahu met for hours with senior ministers and the heads of Israel's military and intelligence agencies to decide the scope and timing of their planned strikes on Iran, two Israeli officials told Axios.

These officials indicated that Israel's response will be substantial, likely involving a mix of air strikes on military targets in Iran as well as covert operations. Israel has also considered strikes on Iran's oil infrastructure, a move Biden has signaled he would oppose.

A Netanyahu aide told Axios that once a decision is made, Netanyahu would brief Biden.

"We want to use the call to try and shape the limitations of the Israeli retaliation," a US official told Axios.

The report of the conversation between Biden and Netayahu comes hours after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s trip to Washington, which has been scheduled for Wednesday, was cancelled after Netanyahu informed Gallant that his trip would not proceed until a call with Biden had taken place and the Security cabinet had approved the attack plans.

A source familiar with the situation said the Biden-Netanyahu call had already been scheduled before the dispute between Netanyahu and Gallant erupted.