Trump calls Netanyahu 'Completely Crazy' in Phone Call – Israel Continues Attacks in Lebanon Despite Ceasefire

The trigger for Trump's anger was Netanyahu's announcement that the Israeli Air Force would again attack targets in the southern suburbs of Beirut – a district considered a stronghold of the Shiite Hezbollah militia. Although an official ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has been in effect since April 17, it is not recognized by Hezbollah and is effectively broken daily. Israeli ground forces have now advanced to the Zahrani River – deeper than they have been since 2000.

Trump's Ceasefire – and Netanyahu's Contradiction

On Tuesday night, Trump announced on his platform Truth Social that he had persuaded both Netanyahu and senior Hezbollah representatives to de-escalate. "All shelling will stop," he wrote. Israel would not send troops to Beirut, and units already on the march had been recalled. Hezbollah had agreed to cease all exchanges of fire – "that Israel will not attack them and they will not attack Israel." He later added, "Let's see how long this lasts – hopefully for ETERNITY!"

Netanyahu responded with his own statement on X, which did not mention a new ceasefire. "Our position remains unchanged," he wrote. "However, should Hezbollah not cease its attacks on Israeli cities, Israel will again attack 'terror targets' in Beirut." He stated that he had communicated this position to Trump, and "Israel steadfastly maintains this position." Israeli media, including The Times of Israel, also reported, citing the military, that contrary to Trump's account, no troops were on their way to Beirut anyway – Netanyahu had only announced airstrikes on the Dahiya district, not a ground offensive on the capital.

Violence Continues: Attacks in Lebanon and on Israel

The situation on both sides of the border remained explosive even after Trump's announcement. Early Tuesday morning, the Israeli Air Force reported intercepting two projectiles fired from Lebanon in the north of the country. According to Israeli reports, there were no injuries; the claims of interceptions could not be independently verified. Lebanese media had reported new Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon shortly before. In the city of Nabatieh, one of the largest cities in the region, residents were called upon to flee; the city had already been heavily bombed. On Tuesday, at least eight people, including two children, were killed in Israeli drone attacks in southern Lebanon.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf announced consequences after a conversation with his Lebanese counterpart Nabih Berri. "If the Israeli aggression against Lebanon does not stop, Iran will not only stop the negotiation path but will also enter into direct confrontation with the enemy." Tehran has made the Lebanon war and negotiations about it a firm part of its discussions with Washington. According to Iranian statements, the leadership in Tehran is demanding a permanent ceasefire in Lebanon, the release of frozen Iranian assets abroad, and de facto control over the Strait of Hormuz for a final agreement with the US.

Iran Withdraws – and Threatens Escalation

The Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that the negotiation team had suspended indirect talks with the US through intermediaries, citing the announced Israeli attacks on the Beirut suburbs as the reason. Trump contradicted this on Truth Social: "Talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran are continuing at a rapid pace." In a telephone interview with US broadcaster ABC, he also stated that he expected an agreement with Tehran "within the next week" to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping. However, direct talks between the US and Iran have not taken place for weeks; negotiations are being conducted through intermediaries, including from Pakistan and Qatar. In a CNBC interview on Monday, Trump also said that the talks had become "boring" to him – "Nothing could matter less to me."

However, harsh words also came from Iran. Mohammad Jafar Asadi, deputy chief of the central Iranian military command Chamat al-Anbiya, said on state broadcaster Irib: "The US demands our complete surrender, and the Iranian nation will never surrender. Without surrender, war is inevitable." Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtschi emphasized that a ceasefire between Iran and the US must apply to all fronts, including Lebanon. Iranian negotiation circles stated, according to the Mehr agency, that they were examining the proposal "with great caution" in light of previous US breaches of contract – "Based on past experiences, Iran seeks tangible and real benefits."

Domestic Political Earthquake in Israel

In Israel, Trump's intervention caused domestic political upheaval. Far-right Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for standing up to Trump: "This is the time to say 'No' to our friend, President Trump." Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused the Netanyahu government of turning Israel into a "protectorate of the US." Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated that the government had "lost control of Israeli sovereignty." Opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot spoke of a "capitulation." On Tuesday, the Knesset paved the way for early general elections between September 8 and October 20 with the first reading of a dissolution bill; polls show Netanyahu's Likud in the lead, but the current coalition would lose its majority.

The background to the tensions is also the corruption trial against Netanyahu, which has been ongoing for six years and has been repeatedly postponed due to Israel's wars since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Trump has repeatedly publicly urged Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Netanyahu before a verdict and "at least a sign of remorse." According to reports from Jerusalem, a corresponding pardon request from Netanyahu has been pending for months and is considered legally highly controversial. Herzog will likely only decide after the parliamentary elections.

Meanwhile, negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are entering their fourth round in Washington. The Lebanese government, which is not a party to the conflict itself, seeks an extension of the ceasefire to the entire country; Israel demands the disarmament of Hezbollah and a lasting peace process. Hezbollah itself is not participating in the talks but has conveyed its position through the office of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri – a Shiite politician who has held the office for decades – and through intermediaries in Qatar. The Lebanese presidency stated that Hezbollah had agreed to the US directive. The Lebanese ambassador in Washington clarified that a ceasefire agreement would "not mean the complete end of hostilities."

Negotiations in Washington: Search for a Solution

The toll of the violence is devastating. Since March 2, according to Lebanese reports, over one million people have been displaced, and more than 3,400 have been killed. Israel states it has occupied about a fifth of Lebanese territory. On the Israeli side, according to army reports, about 2,500 Hezbollah fighters have been killed since early March; Hezbollah has fired around 5,500 rockets at Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, 2,500 rockets at Israel, and launched 300 drones in the past three months. On Monday, Israel again called on the population in southern Lebanon to evacuate; there were dead and injured in several locations near hospitals.

Meanwhile, the conflict with Iran is increasingly causing economic disruptions. The Iranian-Israeli-American dispute pushed the inflation rate in the Eurozone to 3.2 percent in May. In the US, criticism of Israel is growing among young people; US support for Israel has significantly declined according to polls. For Trump's Republicans, the war against Iran is therefore a serious problem, also in view of the congressional elections in November. Israel expert Danny Citrinowicz wrote on X: "It has always been clear that the current course, without an agreement, would ultimately lead to escalation."

On Tuesday, the Knesset paved the way for early general elections with a first reading, which are to take place between September 8 and October 20. Polls show Likud in the lead, but the coalition would suffer significant losses and would no longer have its own majority. This also pushes the fate of the corruption proceedings against Netanyahu, which have been ongoing for years, and the pardon requested by Trump into the background. President Herzog, it is said in Jerusalem, will likely only make a decision on the pardon request after the election.

The next round of negotiations in Washington is scheduled for Wednesday. By then, according to the Lebanese presidency, "recent progress should be built upon." However, the experience of the past months is sobering: "There have been repeated announcements of a ceasefire in the past that never materialized," it was stated in Beirut. Middle East expert Daniel Gerlach also considers it unlikely that Trump actually spoke directly with Hezbollah, as he claimed. The Israeli leadership, in turn, wants to "annihilate"