Netanyahu says ties with Trump are fine as Israeli strike in southern Lebanon kills four civilians

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his relationship with US President Donald Trump is "fine", pushing back against reports of tension between the two leaders over the ceasefire with Iran and Israel's attacks in Lebanon. In a Fox News interview on Monday, Netanyahu said he and Trump see eye to eye on "just about everything" and described the two countries as "model allies". He also confirmed that he will soon visit the United States again, although no date has been set.

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Netanyahu's comments came as criticism continued inside parts of the Israeli cabinet over a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran that calls for a regional ceasefire, including in Lebanon. He said there can be differences between allies, but insisted that his ties with Trump remain strong. The Israeli leader also used the interview to argue that Turkiye should not receive F-35 fighter jets, saying that would upset the balance of power in the Middle East.

The remarks were made against the backdrop of continued violence in southern Lebanon. According to the report, an Israeli strike there on Monday killed four civilians, including a teacher. The strike adds to the human toll of Israel's ongoing attacks in Lebanon and underlines the fragility of efforts to reduce hostilities in the wider region.

Israel has refused to withdraw from Lebanon, saying it retains the right to strike the country in response to what it calls threats. The comments matter because they touch on several overlapping disputes at once: the state of the US-Israel relationship, the future of ceasefire arrangements involving Lebanon, and the regional balance of military power. Netanyahu's public insistence that relations with Trump are stable appears aimed at countering speculation about friction at a sensitive moment.

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His criticism of Turkiye also points to wider competition over defence policy and influence in the Middle East. The interview also highlighted the role of the United States in the current regional picture. Netanyahu praised Washington's support and said Israel and the US had fought together, while contrasting that with Turkiye's position.

Trump is due to visit Ankara later this week for a NATO summit, adding another diplomatic layer to the dispute over fighter jet sales and regional alignments. The exchange suggests that Israel is seeking to shape US policy not only on Lebanon and Iran, but also on broader security questions involving NATO member Turkiye. What remains unclear is whether Netanyahu's planned trip to the US will produce any concrete shift in policy or help ease tensions over the ceasefire arrangements.

It is also not clear how the strike in southern Lebanon will affect efforts to reduce violence there. For now, the situation remains fluid, with diplomatic messaging, military action and regional rivalries all moving at the same time.

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