US President Joe Biden has warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against escalation amid a regional war risk, Ednews informs via Anadolu.

In a "tough" phone call on Thursday, Biden told Netanyahu to "stop escalating tension in the region," and "move immediately toward a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal," Axios reported, citing two anonymous US officials.

The White House said that during Thursday's call, Biden and Netanyahu discussed US military deployments to support Israel against various threats.

"The President discussed efforts to support Israel’s defense against threats, including against ballistic missiles and drones, to include new defensive US military deployments," it said in a statement, with Biden reaffirming his commitment to Israel's security against all threats from Iran.

Biden also stressed the importance of ongoing efforts to de-escalate broader tensions in the region.

According to the Axios, the US officials said that Biden called Netanyahu to discuss US-Israeli joint military preparations for retaliations by Iran and Hezbollah, and also to make clear he was "not pleased" with the direction of Netanyahu.

Biden complained to Netanyahu that the two had spoken last week at the White House about securing the hostage deal, but instead Netanyahu went ahead with the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, one US official told Axios.