You’re f**king crazy’: Trump reportedly berates Netanyahu over Israel’s Lebanon offensive

US President Donald Trump sharply rebuked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a tense phone call on Monday over Israel’s continued military campaign in Lebanon, Axios reported, citing US officials and a source familiar with the conversation.

The call came amid growing regional tensions, with Iran signalling that a ceasefire in Lebanon is a key condition for any future agreement with Washington. Iranian state media also reported that talks with the US are being suspended as Israeli strikes in Lebanon continue.

According to Axios, Trump referred to Netanyahu as “crazy” and accused him of failing to appreciate US support. One US official described Trump’s message as a warning that Israel’s actions were deepening its international isolation and undermining American efforts in the region.

A second source said Trump angrily questioned Israel’s continued operations, particularly threats to strike Beirut, while expressing concern over civilian casualties and attacks on buildings linked to Hezbollah figures.

The report added that Israel has since dropped plans for additional strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut.

Netanyahu, however, maintained a firm public stance following the call. In a statement, he said he had informed Trump that Israel would continue military operations in southern Lebanon and would target sites in Beirut if Hezbollah attacks persisted.

“Our position remains the same,” Netanyahu said.

Despite the public messaging, one US official told Axios that Trump had effectively forced Netanyahu to back down during the conversation, describing the Israeli leader’s response as conciliatory.

The developments coincided with the announcement of a limited ceasefire arrangement between Israel and Hezbollah. According to Lebanon’s embassy in Washington, the understanding calls for Israel to refrain from striking Beirut and its Hezbollah-controlled suburbs, while Hezbollah would halt attacks on Israeli territory. The agreement does not amount to a full end to hostilities.

Iran also stepped up its rhetoric. Iranian parliamentary speaker and chief US negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said he had spoken with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and warned that Tehran could suspend dialogue with Washington if Israeli operations in Lebanon continued.

“If the crimes of the Zionist regime in Lebanon continue, we will not only halt the dialogue process but also stand firmly against them,” Ghalibaf wrote on X.

The exchange underscores the growing pressure on the Trump administration as it seeks to balance support for Israel with efforts to prevent a broader regional conflict involving Iran and its allies.