Netanyahu Stops Senator Graham From Urging Trump to Bomb Hezbollah Amid Iran Conflict

In early March 2026, the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham planned to travel to Florida to persuade then-President Donald Trump to join Israel in bombing Hezbollah in Lebanon. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intervened during a phone call before the trip, advising Graham against involving the U.S. in such an operation amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. According to previously unreleased footage from a documentary about Graham, Netanyahu warned that U.S. participation would be a drastic and premature move. He emphasized Israel's current focus on Iran and cautioned that a full-scale attack on Hezbollah could provoke an all-out retaliation, which was not in Israel's interest at the time. Netanyahu said, "If we tell Hezbollah we are going all the way, we threaten them. But if we actually do it, they will have no reason not to go all the way against us. And right now, that is not our interest." Graham agreed with Netanyahu's assessment, acknowledging the advice as sound. The conversation was recorded on speakerphone and showed Graham in his Senate office surrounded by Trump memorabilia and personal items. This revelation was reported by The Wall Street Journal based on the documentary footage filmed shortly before Graham's death earlier in February 2026.