US urges all parties to avoid widespread conflict in the Middle East

The announcement comes as Israeli air strikes have killed nearly 60 people in Lebanon, as well as strikes on targets in the Gaza Strip and as far away as Yemen.

Responding to reporters' questions about the need to avoid a regional conflict, President Biden said: "It has to be avoided. It really has to be avoided."

The US leader also said he would speak by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but did not specify a specific time.

Also on September 29, the Israeli military (IDF) confirmed that it had conducted new airstrikes targeting weapons depots and infrastructure of the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.

For its part, Hezbollah said it had launched rockets at two locations in northern Israel in response to Tel Aviv's attacks on Lebanese cities, villages and civilians.

Meanwhile, Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that at least four people were killed and more than 30 others were injured when the Israeli army attacked the movement's targets in the port city of Hodeidah on September 29.

The airstrikes came a day after the Houthis claimed to have attacked Israel's Ben Gurion Airport with missiles.

Earlier the same day, the Israeli military issued a statement quoting IDF spokesman David Avraham as saying: “In today’s large-scale air campaign (September 29), dozens of Air Force aircraft – including fighters, refueling aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft – attacked Houthi military targets in the Ras Issa and Hodeidah areas of Yemen… The IDF targeted power plants and a port used to import oil.”