(Gray News) – President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got into a heated phone call on Monday, two people familiar with the conversation told Axios.
Axios reported that Trump pressed Netanyahu to scale back plans for military escalations in Lebanon and used expletives to convey his disapproval of the planned offensive.
“You’re f—–g crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your –s. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,” Trump told Netanyahu, Axios reported.
Trump expressed concern that Israel bombing Hezbollah could interfere with U.S. efforts to broker an agreement with Iran.
Sources said Trump warned Netanyahu that Israel could become further isolated if the operation is not called off.
After the call, Trump declared Israeli forces would not move on Beirut.
Netanyahu said in his own statement that the Israeli military would keep striking southern Lebanon “as planned.”
The White House has not commented on the tone of Trump’s call with Netanyahu.
Copyright 2026 Gray Local Media, Inc. CNN Newsource contributed to this report.