US President Donald Trump reportedly lashed out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call, urging Tel Aviv to scale back its military offensive in Lebanon.
During the conversation, Trump warned Netanyahu that his threats to bomb Beirut would further isolate Israel internationally. Citing two sources familiar with the call, Axios reported that Trump expressed his frustration in unusually blunt terms.
"What the f*** are you doing?" Trump reportedly told the Israeli leader at one point.
According to the report, Trump also referenced his past support for Netanyahu amid the Israeli prime minister's ongoing corruption trial, claiming he had helped keep him out of prison.
"You're f***ing crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this," Trump allegedly said.
While acknowledging the security threat posed by Hezbollah, Trump reportedly argued that Israel's recent military response had become disproportionate. He also expressed concern over Israel's expanding ground operation in southern Lebanon and strongly objected to the destruction of entire buildings to target individual Hezbollah commanders.
In response, Netanyahu reportedly assured Trump that "everything will be taken care of."
Trump's remarks came after Iran warned earlier in the day that it could suspend diplomatic engagement with Washington over the ongoing conflict in Lebanon.
Later, Trump said in a social media post that Netanyahu had agreed to pull back any troops preparing to attack Beirut.
"I had a conversation with Bibi Netanyahu today (Monday), asking him not to go into a major raid of Beirut, Lebanon. He turned his Troops around. Thank you Bibi," he said.
The president said he also had a conversation with the representatives of the leaders of Hezbollah, who agreed to "stop shooting at Israel and its soldiers".
After Trump's announcement, Netanyahu called off the strike on Beirut, but said Israel would continue military operations in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces were advancing toward the Zaharani River, marking their deepest incursion into Lebanese territory in 25 years.
Meanwhile, Lebanon announced a partial ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, in what could be a limited step toward de-escalation. According to Lebanon's embassy in Washington, the arrangement does not end the conflict but includes a commitment by Israel to refrain from striking Beirut and Hezbollah-controlled suburbs, while Hezbollah would halt attacks on Israel, Reuters reported.
