Washington: US President Donald Trump reportedly delivered a sharp rebuke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a recent phone conversation, expressing anger over Israel’s escalating military actions in Lebanon and warning that further strikes could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts involving Iran.
According to a report by Axios, citing US officials and a source familiar with the call, Trump criticized Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict and voiced concern that Israeli military operations in Lebanon were jeopardizing broader regional negotiations aimed at reducing tensions across West Asia.
The report said Trump opposed Israeli plans to carry out strikes in Beirut, arguing that such actions would deepen Israel’s international isolation and complicate efforts to secure a wider diplomatic arrangement involving Iran and its regional allies.
Sources quoted by Axios described the exchange as unusually tense. Trump reportedly accused Netanyahu of escalating the situation beyond what was necessary and expressed frustration that Israeli actions were threatening sensitive negotiations underway with Tehran.
The US president was said to be particularly concerned about civilian casualties in Lebanon and objected to military operations that could result in significant damage to civilian infrastructure while targeting Hezbollah commanders.
Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon has intensified in recent weeks amid renewed hostilities with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group. While Trump acknowledged Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks, officials told Axios that he believed Israel’s response had become disproportionate.
Following the conversation, an Israeli official told the publication that plans to strike Hezbollah targets in Beirut had been shelved.
Despite reports of the heated exchange, Trump later described the call as productive. In a post on Truth Social, he said he had urged Netanyahu not to authorize a major operation in Beirut and claimed the Israeli leader had agreed to pull back.
Trump also asserted that discussions with representatives linked to Hezbollah had resulted in commitments from both sides to halt attacks, though no independent confirmation of such an arrangement was immediately available.
“I had a conversation with Bibi Netanyahu today, asking him not to go into a major raid of Beirut, Lebanon. He turned his troops around,” Trump wrote. He further claimed that both Hezbollah and Israel had agreed to stop firing on each other, adding that he hoped the calm would be permanent.
Netanyahu later confirmed speaking with Trump but portrayed the discussion differently. The Israeli prime minister said he had informed Trump that Israel would continue targeting threats if Hezbollah attacks persisted. He also reiterated that Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon would proceed as planned.
There was no immediate response from Hezbollah regarding the reported conversations.
The latest disagreement highlights the often complicated relationship between Trump and Netanyahu. While the two leaders have worked closely on issues related to Iran and regional security, their partnership has periodically been marked by private disagreements and tense exchanges.
Axios described the latest conversation as one of the most contentious interactions between the two leaders since Trump’s return to the White House in January last year.
The developments come amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that has largely held since April. However, sporadic exchanges of fire have continued, threatening regional stability and complicating efforts to secure a broader agreement involving Iran.
According to a statement from the Lebanese Embassy in Washington, Lebanese authorities recently secured Hezbollah’s approval of a proposal advanced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The proposal reportedly called for Israel to refrain from striking Beirut’s southern suburbs while Hezbollah would halt attacks on northern Israel.
The emerging arrangement is viewed as a key component of wider diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing a broader regional conflict and advancing discussions linked to Iran’s role in the region.
