US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reportedly engaged in a heated telephone confrontation over whether to resume full-scale military operations against Iran.
According to reports by Israeli media outlets Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth, the disagreement occurred over the weekend, with Netanyahu pushing for military action to restart while Trump remained committed to pursuing negotiations aimed at securing peace.
Sources familiar with the conversation reportedly described the exchange as a ‘shouting match from hell’.
The alleged confrontation highlights growing tensions between the two leaders as the conflict continues, despite Trump’s continued public support for Israel.
Trump Rules Out Immediate Return to Strikes Against Iran
Trump indicated that he had no intention of restarting military strikes against Iran during an interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes on Sunday.
Asked about the possibility of resuming attacks, the US president said he saw no justification for doing so.
“Well, I’m not looking to. I don’t think there’s any reason to. I don’t think there’s any reason to,” Trump said.
His position reportedly differed from Netanyahu’s preference for restarting military operations, with the Israeli prime minister seeking a more aggressive approach.
However, Netanyahu’s representatives strongly rejected claims that the two leaders had engaged in a heated argument.
Describing the report as “fake news, complete nonsense”, they denied that such a confrontation had taken place.
A senior Israeli official also disputed the account, insisting that the telephone conversation was “very much not a difficult conversation”.
The Daily Mail said it had contacted the White House for comment.
Political Challenges Mount for Both Leaders
The reported disagreement comes as Trump and Netanyahu face mounting political difficulties in their respective countries.
Trump’s Republican Party is expected to lose control of Congress in January following the Democrats’ strong performance in the midterm elections, described as a ‘blue tsunami’.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, is facing uncertainty over his political future after falling short of the majority required to maintain his position following Israel’s elections.
The latest report is not the first time the two leaders have reportedly disagreed over military operations and the direction of the conflict.
Previous Disagreements Over Iran and Lebanon
In May, Trump and Netanyahu reportedly clashed during what Israel’s Channel 12 described as a lengthy and dramatic overnight telephone conversation.
The disagreement reportedly concerned military action against Iran and followed the exposure of an unsuccessful plot to overthrow Tehran’s regime during the opening days of the war.
Weeks later, reports emerged that Trump had referred to Netanyahu as “f***ing crazy” during a separate conversation shortly before announcing a halt to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
The disagreement centred on escalating Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
Trump subsequently announced on Truth Social that Netanyahu had turned Israeli troops around rather than proceeding with what he described as a major raid on Lebanon.
He also said the Israeli military and Hezbollah-aligned militia groups had agreed to stop shooting at one another.
However, Trump expressed uncertainty about how long the arrangement would last, writing: “Let’s see how long that lasts — Hopefully it will be for ETERNITY!”
Trump Accuses Netanyahu of Undermining Peace Efforts
According to a report by Axios, the two leaders had another tense exchange over the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
One source told the publication that Trump directly challenged Netanyahu during the telephone conversation, asking: “What the f*** are you doing?”
Trump reportedly accused the Israeli prime minister of being ungrateful and warned that carrying out threats to bomb Beirut would worsen Israel’s position.
He also allegedly told Netanyahu that he would be in prison without his support.
“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 reportedly said.
Two sources told Axios that Trump believed Israel’s military actions were making it increasingly difficult to reach a peace agreement with Iran.
Netanyahu subsequently appeared to question the ceasefire arrangement, warning that Israel would attack Beirut if Hezbollah continued its attacks against the country.
Trump Criticises Israel’s Military Campaign in Lebanon
In June, Trump again defended his role in supporting Israel while criticising Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict with Hezbollah.
Speaking at the G7 summit in France, the US president argued that Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon had continued for too long and called on Netanyahu to exercise greater responsibility.
“Israel’s fighting Hezbollah too long and too many people are being killed,” Trump said during a bilateral meeting with Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
He also criticised the destruction of residential buildings during Israeli military operations, arguing that civilians living in apartment blocks should not be treated as combatants.
Trump said not everyone living in buildings targeted during the search for Hezbollah members belonged to the militant group.
Disagreement Over Iran’s Nuclear Programme
Another reported disagreement emerged when Netanyahu indicated that he intended to present Trump with evidence that Iran was continuing its nuclear programme at a facility known as Pickaxe Mountain.
Trump criticised the Israeli prime minister for making the announcement publicly instead of discussing the matter privately with him.
Speaking to Fox News ahead of a meeting with Netanyahu at the Oval Office, Trump said he did not need the Israeli leader to inform him about Iran’s nuclear activities.
He suggested Netanyahu was raising the issue publicly because he wanted the United States to remain involved in the conflict.
Trump also warned the Israeli prime minister against airing disagreements through the media, insisting that such matters should be discussed privately.
Trump Previously Gave Netanyahu Public Electoral Support
Despite their reported disagreements, relations between the two leaders appeared to improve in recent months.
Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu on October 18, nine days before Israelis went to the polls, describing his support for the prime minister as complete and total.
He later credited his endorsement with helping Netanyahu improve his political position during the election campaign.
In a post, Trump said the political situation had shifted after he backed the Israeli leader, suggesting that what initially appeared to be a decisive defeat could instead result in a stalemate or even a victory for Netanyahu.
However, Netanyahu’s political future remains uncertain after Israeli President Isaac Herzog asked opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form a new government.
Trump Announces Plan to End Annual US Aid to Israel
Trump has also announced that the United States will end its annual financial assistance to Israel by the end of the year, following an agreement reached with Netanyahu.
Speaking during an interview with Fox and Friends on Tuesday, Trump said Israel no longer needed the financial support because of its economic position.
“They don’t need it. Why should we suffer the slings from lunatics like an Abdul El-Sayed when they don’t need it? They no longer need it, Israel is a thriving country,” he said.
Trump explained that the United States had been providing Israel with $4 billion annually but that he and Netanyahu had agreed months earlier to end the arrangement.
According to the president, the payments would stop at the end of the year, although Washington could reconsider its position if circumstances changed.
He also described Israel as a great ally and said the United States would provide assistance if the country needed it in the future.
Trump further explained that continued financial assistance had become a political issue for Democratic candidates, including Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who has been vocal in his criticism of Israel.
He said Netanyahu understood the political implications of the arrangement and had agreed with the decision.
Although the annual $4 billion assistance package is expected to end, the United States will continue selling weapons to Israel.
