Trump reportedly clashes with Netanyahu over Israel's Lebanon escalation

US President Donald Trump reportedly used unusually harsh language in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, as Israel expanded military operations in Lebanon. According to people familiar with the exchange, the call turned tense amid concern in Washington that the fighting could complicate US diplomacy with Iran. The White House has not publicly commented on the reported conversation.

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US officials said Trump acknowledged that Hezbollah had launched attacks on Israel and that Israel had the right to defend itself. They said, however, that he viewed Netanyahu's recent actions as disproportionate. One account of the call quoted Trump as saying: "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." Another source quoted him as asking: "What the f*** are you doing?" and said he was angry during the exchange. The reported remarks come as Israel steps up operations in Lebanon, where the conflict has raised concerns about civilian casualties and wider regional escalation. The account cited strikes on buildings used to target individual commanders as part of the criticism from US officials.

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The scale of the response was described by those officials as a key point of disagreement between the two leaders. The episode matters because it highlights a possible strain in the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem at a sensitive moment in the Middle East. US administrations have often sought to balance support for Israel's security with efforts to limit escalation that could draw in other actors, including Iran.

In this case, officials said Trump was worried the military campaign could interfere with ongoing US talks with Tehran. Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group that has exchanged fire with Israel, is central to the current escalation. Israel says it is acting in self-defence after attacks from Hezbollah, while US officials cited the civilian cost and the breadth of the strikes as reasons for concern.

The reported call suggests that even close political allies can diverge sharply over how far military action should go during a fast-moving conflict. What remains unclear is whether the reported exchange will affect US policy or Israel's military decisions in the short term. There has been no public confirmation from the White House, and the account is based on people familiar with the call.

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