United States President Donald Trump lashed out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the latter’s escalation in Lebanon in an expletive-laden phone call on Monday, according to American news outlet Axios.
The report cited two US officials and a third source briefed on the call. It said that Trump called Netanyahu “crazy” and accused him of ingratitude, according to two of the sources, and also halted Israel’s plan to strike Beirut.
On Monday, Trump said he had spoken to Netanyahu and through unnamed representatives with Hezbollah.
Netanyahu agreed to call off a military raid on Beirut while Hezbollah agreed “all shooting will stop,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
Trump’s comments came after Iran’s news agency Tasnim reported Tehran had suspended dialogue with mediators in protest of Israel’s expanding offensive in Lebanon against Hezbollah.
Initially, Trump said he was not aware whether Iran had suspended the talks. He then told CNBC that he did not care if the talks were over. But soon afterwards, he moved swiftly to allay Iranian concerns over the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
According to Axios, Trump told Netanyahu during the call that following through on his threats to bomb Beirut would further isolate Israel around the world.
According to two of the sources, the US president also stated that he “helped keep Netanyahu out of jail”, which the publication said was a reference to his support during Netanyahu’s corruption trial.
“Summarising Trump’s remarks to Netanyahu, the US official said: ‘You’re f****** 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,’” the report said.
The publication also said that Trump was “pissed” and at one point yelled at Netanyahu: “What the f*** are you doing?”
“Another US official said Trump was concerned by the fact that Israel had killed so many civilians in Lebanon, and objected to the Israelis knocking down buildings to take out a single Hezbollah commander,” Axios reported.
“One official said this was one of Trump’s worst calls with Netanyahu since he returned to office,” it added.
For its part, the Israeli prime minister office said after the call that Netanyahu told Trump that Tel Aviv would strike Beirut if Hezbollah “does not stop firing at our cities and citizens”.
He also said Israel would continue military operations in southern Lebanon, where ground forces are pushing toward the Zaharani River, their deepest incursion in Lebanon in 25 years.
However, Axios reported, citing a US official, that Trump “steamrolled” Netanyahu on the call.
“Bibi said, ‘OK, OK, just make sure everything is taken care of,’” according to the official,” the publication reported, adding that Netanyahu’s office did not respond to a request for comment. The US president has also not commented on the report.
Additional input from AFP and Reuters
