US President Donald Trump reportedly scolded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an expletive-laden phone call earlier today over Israel's military campaign in Lebanon, calling Netanyahu "f***ing crazy" and accusing him of being ungrateful.
The comments were reported by US outlet Axios, citing two US officials and a third source briefed on the call.
Summarising the US president’s remarks, a Washington official said: "You’re f***ing 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."
A second source briefed on the call told Axios Trump was "p****" and at one point yelled at Netanyahu: "What the f*** are you doing?"
Trump's was anger reportedly driven by fears that Netanyahu's escalation in Lebanon was threatening to derail nuclear negotiations with Iran.
According to Axios, Trump's concerns centred on Israel's expanding ground operation in southern Lebanon and what he saw as a disproportionate response, including the destruction of entire buildings to take out a single Hezbollah commander and the killing of large numbers of civilians.
Trump wrote on Truth Social after speaking with Netanyahu that it was a "productive" call, and he claimed Israel and Hezbollah would stop attacking each other.
"There will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back."
One US official claimed Trump had "steamrolled" Netanyahu on the call, with Netanyahu ultimately conceding: "OK, OK, just make sure everything is taken care of."
Israel has since confirmed it no longer plans to strike Hezbollah targets in Beirut.
Netanyahu said in his own statement that the Israeli military would keep striking southern Lebanon "as planned".
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