Donald Trump unleashed a furious tirade at Benjamin Netanyahu over threats to resume Israeli airstrikes in Beirut's southern suburbs, according to reporting from Axios. The heated Monday phone call saw the US president demand answers about operations targeting Hezbollah positions in the Dahiya district.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Trump shouted at the Israeli prime minister, according to the account. A US official summarized the broader thrust of Trump's remarks: "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 confrontation erupted after Netanyahu had ordered the Israeli military to resume bombing operations in southern Beirut to target Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia responsible for drone strikes into Israel. The Israel Defense Forces had issued evacuation orders for Lebanese civilians in the strike zones, prompting thousands to flee the area.
The timing proved particularly sensitive. Iran announced on Tuesday that it would suspend peace negotiations with the United States, citing Israel's campaign in southern Lebanon as a violation of any potential ceasefire terms. Tehran demanded that Lebanon be included in agreements meant to facilitate broader talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the US blockade on Iranian ports.
The Iranian announcement effectively froze diplomatic progress just days after Trump had announced that negotiators had reached a preliminary deal he was considering. The suspension undercut one of the administration's key strategic initiatives heading into the final months before November's midterm elections.
Channel 12, an independent Israeli news network, contested key aspects of the Axios report. Amit Segal, the station's chief political analyst, pushed back on the characterization of Trump's language and the personal attacks, stating instead that the two leaders had agreed Trump would urge Israel to refrain from attacking Beirut's suburbs if Hezbollah ceased strikes on Israeli territory.
The relationship between Trump and Netanyahu has oscillated between warm and strained. While Israel remains the US's principal regional ally, Trump has demonstrated anger toward Netanyahu in the past. After Netanyahu congratulated Joe Biden following the 2020 election that Trump contested, the president privately said: "Fuck him." In early 2024, Trump publicly complained that both Iran and Israel "don't know what the fuck they're doing" during a 12-day escalation involving airstrikes, missiles, and drones, though the two leaders jointly ordered strikes against Iran in February at Netanyahu's urging.
Trump faces crosscurrents within his party. Some Republican allies are pressing for more aggressive action against Iran, while others want rapid de-escalation to prevent the conflict from destabilizing markets before the midterm contests. Mark Levin, an influential conservative talk show host with Trump's ear, warned that leaking such criticism would embolden Tehran by signaling American desperation for a deal.
Netanyahu confronts his own political perils. Israel's parliament advanced a bill this week in first reading that would dissolve the Knesset and trigger snap elections. Additionally, his corruption trial is set to resume after multiple postponements caused by the security situation.
Author James Rodriguez: "The leaked tirade reveals genuine friction between Trump and Netanyahu over tactics that neither leader can fully control, and the midterm clock is ticking on both sides of the Atlantic."
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