Trump reportedly lashed out at Netanyahu on Monday over Israel's escalation in Lebanon, describing the Israeli leader as "crazy" and warning that further military action would deepen Israel's international isolation, according to a report by Axios.
The reported exchange came as Trump publicly claimed progress in efforts to stop the fighting, saying he had held productive discussions with Netanyahu and, through intermediaries, with the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Netanyahu had agreed to halt plans for further military advances into Lebanon, while Hezbollah had committed to ending attacks on Israel.
“There will be no troops going to Beirut, and any troops that are on their way have already been turned back,” Trump wrote, adding that Hezbollah had agreed that “all shooting will stop.”
According to Axios, Trump also intervened to stop a proposed Israeli military operation against Beirut after Israel threatened to strike the Lebanese capital's southern outskirts.
One U.S. official familiar with the call told the news outlet that Trump berated Netanyahu and argued that he had supported him during his corruption proceedings. Another source said Trump was visibly angry and repeatedly challenged Israel's military actions in Lebanon.
The comments came as violence continued on the ground.
Israeli strikes targeted southern Lebanon on Monday, while Hezbollah attacks against Israeli forces were also reported, raising questions about the durability of the truce.
Later on Monday, Lebanon's embassy in Washington said Hezbollah had accepted a U.S.-backed proposal for a mutual cessation of hostilities that would be expanded to cover all Lebanese territory.
In a statement shared by the Lebanese presidency on X, the embassy said the arrangement would begin with Israel refraining from strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs in exchange for Hezbollah halting attacks on Israel.
The proposal followed Israeli threats to target the capital's southern outskirts earlier in the day.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah later told the group's Al-Manar television channel that the movement supports a comprehensive ceasefire across Lebanon as a first step toward the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
He added that Hezbollah would assess in the coming days whether the truce is being respected.
Earlier in the day, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran was suspending indirect negotiations with Washington after Israel ordered troops to advance deeper into Lebanon on Sunday.
Trump later told NBC News that he had not received any information from Iran regarding a suspension of talks.
Iranian state television subsequently reported that the broader ceasefire arrangement involving the United States could be in jeopardy if Israeli operations against Hezbollah continued.
While Iranian officials did not formally confirm the reports, Iran's Foreign Ministry reiterated that Washington bears responsibility for violations of both the U.S.-Iran ceasefire framework and the Lebanon truce because of its support for Israel.
Israel has repeatedly carried out strikes on Hezbollah-controlled areas in Beirut's southern suburbs since a ceasefire took effect in mid-April.
On Monday, Netanyahu ordered additional attacks on the Hezbollah stronghold, according to reports.
Israeli forces currently control territory in southern Lebanon stretching from the border to the Litani River and have advanced beyond it towards the Zahrani River, marking Israel's deepest military incursion into Lebanon in 25 years.
Later on Monday, Lebanon's presidency said Hezbollah had accepted a U.S.-backed proposal for a mutual cessation of attacks across Lebanese territory.
However, the statement suggested the commitment might not extend to northern Israel, where Hezbollah has continued launching attacks since the ceasefire began.
Separately, an Israeli official told Axios that Israel was no longer planning strikes against Hezbollah targets in Beirut.
Trump’s claim that he communicated with Hezbollah through intermediaries is unusual.
The group is designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States and no sitting U.S. president has previously acknowledged direct or indirect contact with Hezbollah in such terms.
Tehran and Yerevan are drawing up plans to turn Armenia into a transit corridor for Iranian gas, alongside a four-country power grid, a second border ...
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israeli forces will not withdraw from their current positions in Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed...
U.S. President Donald Trump said there was an "all-day negotiation" on Tuesday with Iran, characterising the talks positively while also threatening t...
Tehran had made plans to strike sites in Ukraine after Kyiv attacked an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea, a senior Iranian military adviser has said. Iran refrained from taking action after Kyiv said the strike was a mistake, Mohsen Rezaei told the state IRIB TV channel.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 5th of August, covering the latest developments.
Nauru, the world’s third smallest country, has changed its name to Naoero, the Pacific island nation’s President said. The new name corresponds to the spelling and pronunciation in the national language.
U.S. President Donald Trump said there was an "all-day negotiation" on Tuesday with Iran, characterising the talks positively while also threatening to hit Iran "really hard" if a deal was not reached.
The U.S. has made its visa bond programme permanent for citizens of 50 countries, requiring some business and tourist visa applicants to pay refundable deposits of up to $20,000. Several Central Asian countries remain on the list, but Uzbekistan is not.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israeli forces will not withdraw from their current positions in Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed, casting further doubt on a U.S.-backed proposal aimed at ending the war.
Turkish top-tier side Trabzonspor said they have begun transfer negotiations with Mohamed Salah, with the club chairman adding they hoped to sign the Egyptian forward later this week.
AI agents developed by Anthropic and OpenAI carried out unauthorised online actions during cybersecurity tests, including creating fake identities to deceive real people and attempting to plant malicious code, the U.K.'s AI Security Institute (AISI) said on Tuesday (5 August).
Families of Moroccan migrants who crossed into the Spanish coastal exclave of Ceuta spent Tuesday searching for missing relatives or waiting anxiously for news, after a mass border crossing last week.
Pyongyang signalled possible new military steps after Japan tested a U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missile, Reuters reported.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment