President Biden discusses efforts to prevent wider war in Middle East as US helps Americans leave Lebanon [Video]

President Joe Biden said his team was in constant contact with Israel as tensions escalate in the Middle East and discussed his plan to prevent an all-out war in the region.”Try to rally the rest of the world and our allies into participating like the French are in Lebanon and other places to tamp this down,” Biden said during his first appearance at the White House press briefing as president.His remarks come amid increased fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel this week.”If I were in those shoes, I would be thinking of other alternatives than striking oil fields,” Biden said, addressing potential targets in an Israeli response.This comes as the State Department is urging Americans to leave Lebanon and has started blocking airline seats for citizens and organizing flights out this week.Officials report that 8,000 people are in touch with them seeking some sort of …