"You're f**king crazy!" Trump rebukes Netanyahu after Lebanon strikes

US President Donald Trump lashed out at ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a highly tense phone call on Monday, according to US officials and a third source briefed on the matter who spoke to Axios. The confrontation has exposed a deep rift between the two leaders as ‘Israels’ military actions in Lebanon threaten to derail critical US-led diplomatic negotiations with Iran.

According to the Axios report, Trump directly ordered the ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister to halt plans to bomb the Lebanese capital of Beirut, warning that further escalation would leave ‘Israel’ entirely isolated on the global stage.

Inside the heated exchange

The phone call is being described by officials as one of the most explosive conversations between Trump and Netanyahu since the US President returned to office. Axios reported that Trump accused Netanyahu of disproportionate escalation, ingratitude, and actively undermining American foreign policy.

Summarizing Trump's remarks, one US official told Axios that the President told Netanyahu:

"You're f**king 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 confirmed to Axios that Trump was furious, at one point shouting, "What the f**k are you doing?"

Officials noted that while Trump acknowledged ‘Israel's’ right to defend itself against Hezbollah rocket fire, he objected to the recent scale of the response. The President reportedly expressed severe concern over rising civilian casualties in Lebanon and strongly criticized the ‘Israeli’ forces tactic of destroying entire residential buildings to target individual Hezbollah commanders. Two sources also noted that Trump claimed he had helped keep Netanyahu out of jail, referencing his past support during the Prime Minister's corruption trial.

The diplomatic stakes with Iran

The primary driver behind the President’s anger appears to be the immediate threat the escalation poses to a fragile, US-negotiated peace framework with Iran. Earlier on Monday, Tehran threatened to completely abandon the talks which include provisions for ending the conflict and lifting the maritime blockade on the Strait of Hormuz in protest of ‘Israels’ actions in Lebanon.

Sources told Axios that the memorandum currently being negotiated between Washington and Tehran explicitly calls for an end to the fighting in Lebanon, a clause that has previously caused friction between US and ‘Israeli’ leadership. Following the explosive call, Trump attempted to project stability, posting on Truth Social that the Iran talks were "continuing, at a rapid pace."

Shifting plans and contradictory statements

An ‘Israeli’ official told Axios that following the exchange, 'Israel' no longer plans to strike Hezbollah targets in Beirut. However, public statements from the two sides have offered vastly different accounts of how the call concluded:

• White House account: A US official claimed Trump completely "steamrolled" the 'Israeli' Prime Minister, stating that Netanyahu ultimately backed down, saying, "OK, OK, just make sure everything is taken care of."
• Prime Minister's account: Netanyahu released a public statement presenting a far more defiant posture. He insisted he told Trump that 'Israel' would continue to strike Beirut if Hezbollah attacks did not cease, and that operations in southern Lebanon would proceed unabated. "Our position remains the same," Netanyahu claimed.

Axios reported that Netanyahu’s office did not respond to a request for comment regarding the leaked details of the call.