President Trump reportedly tore into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, demanding the leader resist strikes on Hezbollah in an expletive-laden phone call.
The tense call came after Iran threatened to withdraw from negotiations with the US after Israel ordered strikes on terrorists in southern Beirut — with Axios reporting the president at one point asking, “What the f–k are you doing?”
“You’re f–king 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,” a US official told Axios, summarizing Trump’s comments.
Another source described Trump as sounding “pissed,” and claimed the president “steamrolled” the Israeli prime minister on the call.
“Bibi said, ‘OK, OK, just make sure everything is taken care of,’” the second official said.
The president was reportedly aware Hezbollah had been firing on Israeli troops but concerned that Netanyahu was disproportionately escalating the situation — and potentially hurting US negotiations with Tehran.
Shortly after the call, Trump wrote in a post to Truth Social: “I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, and there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back.
“Likewise, through highly placed Representatives, I had a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all shooting will stop — That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu said after the call that Israel’s stance on striking Hezbollah “remains unchanged.”
“Tonight, I spoke with President Trump and told him that if Hezbollah does not cease attacking our cities and citizens — Israel will attack terror targets in Beirut,” he said. “This stance of ours remains unchanged.”
“In parallel, the IDF will continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon,” he added.
