President Donald Trump reportedly warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that expanding strikes in Lebanon could damage Israel’s international standing and threaten U.S. diplomatic efforts with Iran.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump reportedly clashed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a Monday phone call over Israel’s expanding military campaign in Lebanon, as the White House works to prevent the conflict with Hezbollah from derailing broader U.S. diplomacy in the Middle East.
The call came as Israel intensified operations along its northern front and Hezbollah continued firing rockets and anti-tank missiles into northern Israel. Israeli forces have carried out their deepest operations inside Lebanon in more than two decades, while Israeli officials have warned that Beirut could be targeted if Hezbollah attacks on Israeli communities continue.
Trump sharply criticized Netanyahu during the call, accusing him of escalating the conflict in a way that could isolate Israel and complicate U.S. efforts to contain the wider regional crisis, according to an Axios report.
Administration officials described Trump as supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah but increasingly concerned that the scale of Israel’s response could trigger broader consequences, including civilian casualties in Lebanon, international backlash and renewed instability across the region.
One of the White House’s central concerns is the effect on negotiations with Iran. Earlier Monday, Iranian officials reportedly threatened to walk away from talks with Washington over Israel’s operations in Lebanon.
Trump has made preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon a central foreign policy priority, while also seeking to avoid a larger military conflict. After speaking with Netanyahu, Trump wrote on Truth Social that talks with Iran were continuing “at a rapid pace,” signaling that he wants to keep diplomatic channels open despite the worsening security situation.
Axios reported that Trump used blunt language with Netanyahu and warned that threats against Beirut could undermine U.S. strategic objectives. Israeli officials later indicated that plans to strike Hezbollah targets in Beirut had been shelved, suggesting Trump’s intervention may have affected Israel’s immediate decision-making.
Netanyahu did not publicly retreat from Israel’s military position. In a statement issued after the call, he said he told Trump that Israel would continue targeting terrorists if Hezbollah kept attacking.
“At the same time, the IDF will continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon,” Netanyahu said, referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
Hezbollah said Tuesday that its fighters launched anti-tank missile attacks against Israeli troops near Hadatha, a Lebanese village about four miles from the Israeli border. The claim underscored the continuing danger along the border as both sides trade fire.
The reported confrontation between Trump and Netanyahu comes as Israeli and Lebanese representatives prepare for a second round of talks in Washington. Those talks are aimed at securing a broader ceasefire and reducing the risk of future cross-border attacks.
The disagreement appears centered less on whether Israel can respond to Hezbollah and more on the scope of Israel’s response. Trump is seeking to keep the Lebanon conflict from expanding into a wider war that could disrupt Iran negotiations and pull additional regional actors into the fighting. Netanyahu, meanwhile, has maintained that sustained pressure on Hezbollah is necessary to restore security for Israeli communities along the northern border.
The episode marks a visible point of tension between two leaders who have generally coordinated closely on Iran and regional security, but whose immediate priorities in Lebanon now appear to be diverging.
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