Washington and Tel Aviv were jolted this week by reports of a fiery phone call between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Axios, Trump lashed out at Netanyahu over Israel's escalating military operations in Lebanon, warning that the moves threatened to derail delicate peace talks with Iran.
Sources told the publication that Trump branded Netanyahu "f…ing crazy" and accused him of ingratitude, even claiming he had helped keep the Israeli leader out of prison during his corruption trial. At one point, Trump reportedly snapped: "What the f…. are you doing?"
The US President is said to have blocked Israel's plan to bomb Beirut, arguing such a strike would further isolate the country internationally. He also expressed concern over civilian casualties, objecting to tactics like demolishing buildings to target a single Hezbollah commander.
Following the heated exchange, Israeli officials confirmed that plans to strike Beirut were shelved, though Netanyahu insisted Israel would continue operations in southern Lebanon and warned of retaliation if Hezbollah attacks persisted.
Trump later described the call as "productive" on Truth Social, claiming he had secured a temporary halt in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Still, insiders say the clash marked one of the most bitter conversations between the two leaders since Trump's return to office last year.