Joe Biden’s flippant response to 7NEWS reporter when asked about ‘all-out war’ in Middle East

US President Joe Biden appears confident of a de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East, giving a light-hearted answer when questioned by a 7NEWS reporter about whether he believes conflict will end in an “all-out war”.

The Middle East is bracing for Israel’s response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack earlier this week, with Israel vowing to make Iran “pay”.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Israel strikes Beirut as it intensifies military campaign in Lebanon.

Iran launched more than 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday in what it said was a retaliation to the killing of Hassan Nasrallah — leader of Hezbollah, a powerful militant group that is backed by Iran — and others and aggression in Gaza and Lebanon.

The country has promised a more severe response to any Israeli retaliation to the attack, as concerns grow among western allies.

Speaking to 7NEWS reporter Tim Lester, Biden was asked how confident he was an all-out war could be averted in the Middle East.

The president appeared to stifle a laugh before replying, “How confident are you it’s not going to rain?”

“I don’t believe there’s going to be an all-out war,” he said.

“I think we can avoid it.

“There’s a lot to do yet, a lot to do yet.”

All eyes on Israel

Israel’s war cabinet is still weighing its response to the attack, with Israel’s UN ambassador telling CNN that retaliation “will be soon”.

World leaders have long warned the conflict between Israel and Iran’s proxies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon could spiral into a wider regional war.

All eyes will now be on how Israel responds — and it has made one thing clear: when it strikes back, it will be with force.

Speaking hours after the assault, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Iran made a big mistake tonight — and it will pay for it.”

“The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies,” Netanyahu said.

Israel is already fighting on two fronts.

It has been at war with Hamas in Gaza since the deadly October 7 terrorist attack by the group on southern Israel.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, with much of the strip reduced to rubble.

And while Israel and Hezbollah have been trading cross-border fire for much of the past year, Iran launched the barrage on Tuesday just hours after Israel announced it launched a “limited and localised” ground operation in Lebanon to dismantle what it called Iran-backed Hezbollah’s “terrorist infrastructure” in border villages.

Sending Israeli troops into Lebanon would have been seen as a major escalation by Iran.

The Biden administration has had to face the harsh reality that the prospects of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza — a goal that US officials worked tirelessly to achieve — and a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon now look unrealistic if not impossible as events have overtaken earlier calculations.

More than 40,000 people have been killed in the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry, and at least 97 people kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 are still in Gaza, although a third of them are believed to be dead.

Given Israel’s air and ground assault on Hezbollah, the administration has lowered its expectations and is now focused on one objective: avoiding a war with Iran, two former officials told NBC.

Group of Seven (G7) leaders condemned Iran’s attack and “unequivocally” backed Israel’s right to security, but called on the players to “act responsibly” and with restraint.

Experts believe Israel will likely attack Iran’s oil refineries, which could have crippling economic consequences.

Biden has urged Israel to avoid direct attack’s on Iran’s nuclear facilities, as allies try to avoid a wider war.

Asked on Wednesday if he would support such an attack, Biden said, “The answer is no”.

He said his administration was still discussing with Israel what their response would be.

“We’re going to get all the data straight, we’re in constant contact with the Israeli government and our counterparts and that remains to be seen,” he said.

- With NBC and CNN