President Trump Slams Netanyahu Over Israel's Military Escalation in Lebanon

PM Netanyahu with President Trump at the White House. (Twitter/@WhiteHouse)

JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump harshly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Israel's recent military escalation in Lebanon during a tense phone call on Monday, Axios reported, citing two US officials and a third source briefed on the conversation.

According to the report, President Trump attacked Netanyahu in a conversation full of harsh words, accusing the Israeli leader of escalating the conflict and jeopardizing ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran.

The report said President Trump called Netanyahu "crazy" and accused him of not knowing how to be grateful.

Two sources told Axios, President Trump also referred to Netanyahu's ongoing corruption trial and "admitted to having helped save Netanyahu from prison," as reported by Al Arabiya (2/6).

An American official quoted by Axios summarized President Trump's statement as follows: "You're really crazy. You would be in jail if it weren't for me. I saved you. Everyone hates you now. Everyone hates Israel because of this."

A second source who was briefed on the phone call said President Trump at one point yelled: "What are you doing?"

According to Axios, President Trump warned Netanyahu that carrying out the threat to attack the Lebanese capital, Beirut, would further isolate Israel internationally.

The report said the Republican president understood Hezbollah was continuing to fire at Israel and recognized Israel's right to defend itself. However, US officials told Axios, President Trump believes Netanyahu has escalated the conflict disproportionately in recent days.

The report states that President Trump is deeply concerned about civilian casualties in Lebanon and objects to Israeli tactics involving the destruction of buildings to target Hezbollah commanders individually.

After the phone call, Israel no longer planned to attack Hezbollah targets in Beirut, an Israeli official told Axios.

The report also said President Trump's anger was partly driven by concerns that Israeli actions in Lebanon could derail ongoing US-Iranian negotiations.

Earlier on Monday, Iran reportedly threatened to stop talks with Washington over Israel's actions in Lebanon.

The latest tensions come amid ongoing fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border.

Israel has expanded its ground operations in southern Lebanon while carrying out strikes on Hezbollah positions. The conflict has raised concerns of a wider regional escalation and has prompted repeated international calls for restraint.

According to Axios, sources familiar with the US-Iranian negotiations said the memorandum currently being discussed includes provisions calling for a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, a point that has previously caused friction between President Trump and Netanyahu.