The recent missile exchange between Iran and Israel has exposed deepening rifts between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, threatening the fragile ceasefire in the region. Trump has insisted he calls 'all the shots' in the Middle East, but Netanyahu has shown he is willing to act independently, ordering strikes that triggered Iranian retaliation.
Trump publicly humiliated Netanyahu in a leaked phone call, calling him 'crazy' and warning against attacking Beirut. Despite this, Netanyahu ordered a bombing of Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut on Sunday, prompting Iranian missiles aimed at Israel. After both sides halted hostilities, Trump declared the ceasefire back on track, but the underlying tensions remain.
The two leaders initially united in attacking Iran on 28 February, but their interests diverged when a quick victory proved elusive. Trump faces domestic political pressure from rising oil prices due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while Netanyahu needs a military breakthrough to bolster his coalition ahead of elections due by October.
Netanyahu's political survival depends on the collapse of US-Iran peace talks, which would exclude Israel and potentially limit its ability to strike Hezbollah. For now, the ceasefire holds, but the complex relationship between Trump and Netanyahu continues to destabilise the region.
