DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Delaware, USA (AP) — The President of the United States, Joe Biden, said on Sunday that a total war in the Middle East must be avoided.

"It has to be," Biden told reporters as he boarded Air Force One bound for Washington. "We really have to avoid it."

Biden also indicated that he will speak with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

His statements come as Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon killed dozens of people on Sunday. He did not say when he planned to speak with Netanyahu.

The political-paramilitary group Hezbollah suffered a series of deadly blows to its command structure, including the assassination of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

The White House considers Nasrallah's death as a hard blow to the group. At the same time, the administration has acted cautiously while trying to contain the war between Israel and Hamas, a group that, like Hezbollah, is backed by Iran, to prevent a total regional conflict.

Netanyahu includes former rival in his cabinet to expand his coalition

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday included his former rival, Gideon Saar, in his cabinet to expand his coalition and strengthen his control in office.

According to their agreement, Netanyahu said that Saar will serve as a minister without portfolio and will be part of the Security Cabinet, the body that oversees the management of the ongoing war against Israel's enemies throughout the Middle East.

Saar, 57, was hoping to replace Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, another rival of Netanyahu. However, a deal to become Defense Minister fell through several weeks ago after clashes with Hezbollah intensified along Israel's northern border, leaving popular Gallant in the position for the time being.

Saar is a veteran politician who has had a tense relationship with the prime minister. He was once a rising star in Netanyahu's Likud party, but he angrily left it four years ago after accusing the prime minister of turning it into a "cult of personality" at a time when he was facing corruption allegations.

Since then, however, Saar has struggled as the leader of a small conservative party and enjoys little support among the general population. Although he and Netanyahu do not get along well, they share a hardline ideology towards Israel's Arab adversaries.

In recent months, Saar has said that Israel must fight until Hamas is destroyed. He has also called for tougher measures against Hezbollah's sponsor, Iran. And like Netanyahu, he strongly opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state.

In a joint statement, they said they had set aside their differences for the good of the nation.

Netanyahu’s decision seems to have been partly driven by domestic politics. He faces a series of key political battles in the coming weeks — including the controversial issue of recruiting ultra-Orthodox men into the army — passing a budget, and taking the stand in his long-running corruption trial. Saar is expected to assist Netanyahu in many of these issues.