Donald Trump reportedly confronted Benjamin Netanyahu in an angry phone call on Monday after the Israeli prime minister threatened to resume airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, according to Axios. The US president allegedly shouted, “What the fuck are you doing?” and accused Netanyahu of endangering Israel’s standing, saying, “Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this.”
The call came after Netanyahu ordered the Israeli military to target the Dahiya area of Beirut, home to Hezbollah strongholds, prompting thousands of Lebanese civilians to flee. The threat followed Iran’s announcement on Tuesday that it would suspend peace talks with the US over Israel’s campaign in southern Lebanon, effectively freezing negotiations that Trump had claimed were nearing a preliminary deal.
Israeli news network Channel 12 contested the Axios report, with chief political analyst Amit Segal stating that Trump did not attack Netanyahu personally and that the two agreed Israel would refrain from attacking the Beirut suburbs if Hezbollah ceased its attacks on Israel. The relationship between the two leaders has been strained in the past, with Trump previously making disparaging remarks about Netanyahu.
Trump faces pressure from within the Republican party, with pro-Israel allies urging a tougher stance on Iran while others seek a rapid end to the conflict to mitigate economic damage before the US mid-term elections. Netanyahu is also under domestic pressure, as Israel’s parliament advanced a bill to dissolve the Knesset and trigger early elections, while his corruption trial continues.
