 "Rubio, Netanyahu discuss Gaza, Syria and Iran protests in phone call")
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke over the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, a US official said, without providing additional details.
While the American official did not mention the topics discussed in the call, Axios reported earlier that the two of them spoke about Gaza, Syria and the recent protests unfolding in Iran on a large scale.
Iran, which had a 12-day war with Israel last year and whose nuclear facilities were bombed by the US in June, is seeing its biggest anti-government demonstrations in years.
President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States is “ready to help” as protesters in Iran faced an intensifying crackdown by authorities of the Islamic republic.
President Trump offered support for the protesters, saying on social media that “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!”
The internet facilities have been shut down in the country along with the telephone lines. The demonstration has escalated on a large scale with at least 72 people dead and over 2,300 others detained, according to the US based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
In Gaza, a fragile ceasefire has not progressed beyond its first phase since it began in October, with Israel and Hamas accusing each other of major breaches of the deal. The two sides remain far apart on the more difficult steps envisaged for the next phase.
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View AllEarlier this week, Israel and Syria agreed during U.S.-mediated talks in Paris to set up a communication mechanism to coordinate on security and commercial issues.
Since US President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, Netanyahu has visited the United States five times to meet the Republican president while Trump visited Israel in October.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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