U.S. President Donald Trump admitted to a heated exchange with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which he swore at the Israeli leader. Trump stated he was perturbed by Israel's ongoing hostilities against Lebanon and specifically told Netanyahu not to bomb the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
The tension stems from concerns that Israel's escalation against Hezbollah, despite a ceasefire agreement, is complicating U.S. efforts to secure a peace pact with Iran. Trump warned that these strikes risk isolating Israel and derailing peace talks. Iranian media have already indicated that Tehran will not participate in negotiations as long as Israel continues to bomb Lebanon.
An unnamed official described the phone call as Trump steamrolling Netanyahu, who reportedly responded by saying, "Ok, Ok." While this provides a rare public glimpse into friction between the two leaders, Trump insisted that his relationship with Netanyahu remains solid and very good, noting that they connect as fellow wartime leaders.