Netanyahu Breaks Silence After Trump Reportedly Blasted Him on Phone Call, Says He is Crazy

Netanyahu Breaks Silence After Trump Reportedly Blasted Him on Phone Call, Says He is Crazy

  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has broken his silence with a firm warning to Hezbollah, vowing retaliation if attacks on Israeli cities continue
  • His statement came just hours after reports of a heated phone call in which U.S. President Donald Trump allegedly blasted Netanyahu over Israel’s military escalation in Lebanon
  • The clash between the two leaders depicts growing tensions as civilian casualties mount and international pressure on Israel intensifies

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to X on June 1, 2026, to reaffirm Israel’s stance against Hezbollah.

He wrote:

Trump blasts Netanyahu in heated call over Lebanon escalation.
Netanyahu warns Hezbollah as Israel threatens Beirut strike. Photo credit: Nathan Howard/Getty Images
Source: Getty Images
“Tonight, I spoke with President Trump and told him that if Hezbollah does not cease attacking our cities and citizens—Israel will attack terror targets in Beirut. This stance of ours remains unchanged. In parallel, the IDF will continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon.”

This statement marks Netanyahu’s first public response following reports of a heated phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump.

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Trump’s alleged call to Netanyahu

According to Axios, Trump lashed out at Netanyahu in an expletive-laden call earlier that same day. Two U.S. officials and a third source briefed on the conversation said Trump accused Netanyahu of escalating the conflict in Lebanon disproportionately.

One U.S. official summarised Trump’s remarks: "You're f^cking crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your asss. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this."

Another source said Trump shouted: "What the f^ck are you doing?"

Why the call matters

  • Iran’s threat: Hours before the call, Iran warned it could abandon negotiations with the U.S. over Israel’s actions in Lebanon.
  • Global isolation: Trump reportedly told Netanyahu that striking Beirut would further isolate Israel internationally.
  • Civilian casualties: U.S. officials expressed concern about the high number of civilian deaths in Lebanon and criticised Israel’s tactics, including demolishing buildings to target single Hezbollah commanders.

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Trump lambasts Netanyahu in frantic call over Lebanon escalation amid Iran talks

Behind the scenes

Two sources claimed Trump reminded Netanyahu of his past support during Netanyahu’s corruption trial, saying he had helped keep him out of jail. Despite acknowledging Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel, Trump reportedly felt Netanyahu’s response was excessive and risked worsening Israel’s global standing.

Israel has expanded its ground operations in southern Lebanon while threatening strikes on Beirut. Trump’s intervention highlights growing U.S. unease with Israel’s military strategy, particularly the humanitarian toll.

See the X post below:

Iran threatens to abandon U.S. talks after Israel’s actions in Lebanon.
Israel expands ground operation in southern Lebanon amid tensions. Photo credit: AnnaMoneymaker/GettyImages
Source: Getty Images

Trump lambasts Netanyahu in frantic call

Legit.ng earlier reported that tensions between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly flared during a heated phone conversation on Monday, June 1, over Israel's military actions in Lebanon, according to sources familiar with the exchange.

The call came at a sensitive moment for Washington's diplomatic efforts with Iran. Reports indicate that Tehran had warned it could walk away from ongoing negotiations with the United States if Israel continued expanding its operations in Lebanon.

According to Axios, sources briefed on the discussion said Trump expressed frustration over Israel's recent military posture and warned that further escalation could damage Israel's standing internationally.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Basit Jamiu avatar

Basit Jamiu (Current Affairs and Politics Editor) Basit Jamiu is an AFP-certified journalist with a wealth of experience spanning over 5 years. He is a current affairs and politics editor at Legit.ng. He holds a bachelor's degree from Nasarawa State University (2023). Basit previously worked as a staff writer at Ikeja Bird (2022), Associate Editor at Prime Progress (2022). He is a 2025 CRA Grantee, 2024 Open Climate Fellow (West Africa), 2023 MTN Media Fellow. Email: basitjamiu1st@gmail.com and basit.jamiu@corp.legit.ng.

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