A reportedly heated phone exchange between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has exposed growing tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon, amid fragile diplomatic efforts involving Iran.
According to multiple reports, including an account published by Axios citing unnamed US officials, Trump sharply rebuked Netanyahu over a planned Israeli military strike on Beirut, warning that the operation could derail delicate negotiations between the United States and Iran.
The confrontation reportedly took place after Israel intensified its offensive against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, threatening a wider regional escalation at a time when Washington has been attempting to maintain momentum in indirect talks with Tehran.
Trump publicly confirmed on Monday that he had personally intervened to stop what he described as a “major raid” on Beirut. Writing on Truth Social, the US president said he directly urged Netanyahu to abandon the operation.
“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. Thank you Bibi,” Trump wrote, referring to the Israeli leader by his long-standing nickname.
However, behind the scenes, the tone of the conversation appears to have been far more confrontational.
Axios reported that Trump lashed out at Netanyahu during the call, accusing him of undermining US diplomatic efforts and escalating tensions unnecessarily. Quoting a US official familiar with the exchange, the outlet reported Trump as saying: “You’re f***ing crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your a**. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this.”
Another source briefed on the conversation reportedly described Trump as “pissed” and claimed he shouted: “What the f*** are you doing?” while criticizing Netanyahu’s military posture.
A third official told Axios that Trump had effectively “steamrolled” Netanyahu during the exchange, eventually convincing the Israeli prime minister to reconsider the Beirut strike.
The reported outburst reflects growing frustration within the White House over Israel’s military actions in Lebanon, particularly as civilian casualties rise and regional instability threatens broader geopolitical objectives.
Israel has significantly escalated its campaign against Hezbollah in recent days, launching deep incursions into southern Lebanon and carrying out strikes on Hezbollah-linked infrastructure. Over the weekend, Israeli forces reportedly seized Beaufort Castle, a strategic hilltop fortress in southern Lebanon that provides commanding oversight of the surrounding region.
On Monday, Netanyahu signaled a willingness to intensify operations further, warning that Israel would target Beirut if Hezbollah attacks continued.
“Our position remains the same,” Netanyahu reportedly said after speaking with Trump, insisting that Israel would continue military operations “as planned” unless Hezbollah ceased its attacks.
Trump’s intervention also came amid renewed uncertainty surrounding US-Iran negotiations. Tehran has repeatedly warned that continued Israeli operations in Lebanon could jeopardize diplomatic engagement with Washington.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that Tehran may move beyond merely suspending negotiations if Israeli military actions continue.
“If the Israeli aggression against Lebanon continues, we will not only stop the negotiation track, but we will be in direct confrontation with the enemy,” Ghalibaf wrote on X after reportedly speaking with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
Despite mounting tensions, Trump struck an optimistic tone regarding diplomacy. In a separate Truth Social post, he said negotiations with Iran were continuing “at a rapid pace” despite recent military exchanges between US and Iranian forces.
“Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote, suggesting Washington still hopes to secure a negotiated settlement.
The US president also claimed to have held discussions with representatives of Hezbollah’s leadership, saying both sides had informally agreed to halt hostilities.
“I also had a conversation with representatives of the leaders of Hezbollah, and they agreed to stop shooting at Israel and its soldiers. Likewise, Israel agreed to stop shooting at them. Let’s see how long that lasts — hopefully it will be for eternity,” Trump stated.
However, the durability of any de-escalation remains uncertain. The nominal ceasefire between the United States and Iran has already come under strain due to repeated military exchanges over the past several days, raising concerns that a wider regional conflict could quickly reignite.
Earlier, Trump told NBC News that he had not been formally informed about reports suggesting Iran was considering suspending negotiations but downplayed the significance of the threat.
“I think it’s fine if they’re done talking,” Trump said. “It’s an appropriate thing to say, because they’re better negotiators than they are fighters.”
Yet analysts warn that further Israeli military action in Lebanon could complicate already fragile diplomatic efforts and increase the risk of direct confrontation involving Iran, Hezbollah, Israel, and potentially the United States.
For now, Trump’s apparent success in persuading Netanyahu to temporarily pull back from Beirut may have bought diplomacy some time — but whether the pause holds remains an open question.
