WSJ: Trump and Netanyahu Had Tense Calls Over Iran and Lebanon

The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have held several tense phone calls in recent weeks, as Trump pushed for a diplomatic deal with Iran. According to the report, Trump grew increasingly frustrated while Netanyahu pressed for a harder line, warning against trusting Tehran’s commitments.

One of the main flashpoints was Israel’s military activity in Lebanon. In one call, Trump reportedly told Netanyahu, “Stop bombing buildings,” reflecting anger in Washington over Israel’s responses to Hezbollah violations during the ceasefire.

The report said Trump also voiced concern in other conversations that continued confrontation with Iran could hurt the U.S. economy. He was described as increasingly focused on the potential costs of an ongoing conflict and less receptive to arguments that further military action was needed. Trump also reportedly told aides that Netanyahu often pushes for approval of additional operations rather than pursuing calm, saying, “He wants to bomb everyone.”

A U.S. administration official quoted in the article said many of the leaders’ calls followed a fixed pattern, with Netanyahu laying out the case for more military steps and Trump listening. During talks about a possible agreement with Iran, Netanyahu questioned whether the regime in Tehran could be trusted to honor commitments and raised concerns about how the United States would monitor compliance. The White House and Netanyahu’s office said that despite the disagreements, the two leaders remain in regular contact.