President Trump confirmed he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "crazy" during a tense phone conversation this week, in which he used an expletive and pressured Netanyahu to halt planned airstrikes on Beirut. The call, which Trump discussed on Miranda Devine's podcast Pod Force One, came after Netanyahu announced intentions to strike Hezbollah strongholds in southern suburbs of Lebanon's capital. Trump said he was "a little bit perturbed" by Netanyahu's actions, recalling he told the Prime Minister, "Bibi we got to stop this. We got to stop it." The Israeli airstrikes were called off, at least temporarily, though ground operations and other airstrikes in southern Lebanon have continued. Axios first reported the details of the Monday call. Netanyahu had visited Israel's northern border Friday, instructing troops to "keep striking Hezbollah relentlessly" and vowing to continue until the mission was complete. The planned Beirut strikes prompted mass evacuations from the area, causing major traffic congestion as residents fled. Iran responded to Israel's military activity by halting indirect negotiations with the U.S., part of a broader ceasefire agreement in the ongoing Iran war. Trump emphasized that despite the heated exchange, he maintains a strong relationship with Netanyahu, saying, "I like Bibi a lot and I've worked very well with him. I'm a wartime president. He's a wartime prime minister." Israel's media and political figures have criticized Netanyahu for appearing to yield to Trump's pressure, with columnist Ben Caspit of Maariv writing, "The truth needs to be said: Israeli policy is dictated by Trump's social media posts." The two leaders had previously coordinated closely on the Iran war, sharing goals of toppling the Islamic government and dismantling its nuclear program. However, Trump now appears focused on pursuing a negotiated deal involving compromises, while Netanyahu continues to advocate for sustained military pressure on Iran.
Trump publicly insulted a key ally's leader while claiming they remain close, exposing a relationship built on public confrontation and private coordination. Netanyahu's reversal on Beirut, following Trump's intervention, suggests Israeli military decisions are now subject to American presidential moods. The claim that Israeli policy follows Trump's social media implies a shift in sovereignty, not strategy. This dynamic undermines Netanyahu's standing at home, where critics see submission rather than diplomacy.
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