A reported phone call between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn global attention after details emerged suggesting a sharp exchange over Israel’s military escalation in Lebanon and its impact on wider regional negotiations. According to a report by Axios citing US officials and sources briefed on the call, the conversation turned tense as disagreements surfaced over Israel’s operational plans.
The report claims Trump expressed strong frustration with Netanyahu during the call, warning that Israel’s approach in Lebanon risked undermining ongoing diplomatic efforts involving Iran and Hezbollah. Sources said Trump objected to what he viewed as escalating military actions, including reported plans targeting Beirut, arguing that such steps could further isolate Israel internationally and complicate ceasefire discussions.
Axios reported that at one point during the conversation, Trump used strongly worded language, accusing Netanyahu of jeopardising diplomatic progress and suggesting that US support had previously helped the Israeli leader politically. The exchange, described by sources as unusually heated, reflected growing strain between the two leaders amid overlapping military and diplomatic pressures in the region.
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Following the call, US officials reportedly indicated that Israel had reconsidered immediate plans for a strike on Beirut, although there was no formal confirmation of a policy change. Trump later publicly characterised his conversation with Netanyahu as “productive” and claimed that Israeli forces had been redirected away from a major raid on the Lebanese capital.
In separate remarks, Trump also said he had communicated with representatives linked to Hezbollah and claimed that both Israel and the group had agreed to halt hostilities. However, the status of any such understanding remained unclear, with no immediate confirmation from Hezbollah and continued reporting of tensions along the Israel-Lebanon frontier.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, acknowledged the conversation but framed it as a warning that Israel would continue targeting Hezbollah positions if attacks persisted. The Israeli side also indicated that military operations in southern Lebanon would proceed as planned. The conflicting narratives underscored the fragile and contested nature of diplomatic efforts to stabilise the region, where multiple actors remain engaged in parallel negotiations and military actions.
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