Donald Trump angrily confronted Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s threats to resume airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, according to a report from Axios. The US president reportedly shouted, “What the fuck are you doing?” during a phone call on Monday, citing a US official who summarised Trump’s remarks as: “You’re fucking crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this.”
The call came after Netanyahu ordered the Israeli military to resume bombing the Dahiya area of Beirut to target Hezbollah, which had launched drone strikes into Israel. The Israel Defense Forces told Lebanese civilians to evacuate, causing thousands to flee. Iran subsequently announced on Tuesday that it would suspend peace talks with the US over Israel’s campaign in southern Lebanon, insisting that Lebanon should be covered by a ceasefire agreement meant to facilitate negotiations on the Strait of Hormuz and a US blockade of Iranian ports.
The phone call followed Iran’s announcement, which effectively froze talks days after Trump claimed negotiators had reached a preliminary deal he was considering. Channel 12, an Israeli news network, contested the Axios report, with chief political analyst Amit Segal stating that Trump had not attacked Netanyahu personally and that the two agreed Netanyahu would refrain from attacking Beirut suburbs if Hezbollah ceased its attacks on Israel.
Trump and Netanyahu have had a strained relationship, though Israel remains the US’s principal ally in the region. They jointly launched strikes against Iran in February at Netanyahu’s urging. Trump publicly fumed last year that Iran and Israel “don’t know what the fuck they’re doing” during a 12-day exchange of strikes. After Netanyahu congratulated Joe Biden on winning the 2020 election, Trump said of him: “Fuck him.”
Trump faces pressure from different parts of the Republican party, with pro-Israel allies calling for further US action against Iran, while others seek a rapid conclusion to the war to mitigate economic damage before the US mid-term elections in November. Mark Levin, an influential pro-Israel talk show host, wrote that the leak would benefit Iran, “viewing us as weak and desperate for a deal – even coming to Hezbollah’s defence”.
Netanyahu is also under political pressure. Israel’s parliament backed a bill this week in the first reading to dissolve the Knesset and trigger early elections, and his corruption trial is scheduled to continue after repeated delays due to Israel’s security situation.
