‘Shouting match from hell’: Trump, Netanyahu clash over Iran war

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call over the weekend that focused largely on Iran, against the backdrop of disagreements between Jerusalem and Washington over whether to renew the war against the Islamic Republic. Sources familiar with the conversation described it as an unusually difficult and heated exchange, with one source calling it “a shouting match from hell.” The Prime Minister’s Office strongly rejected that account, insisting the conversation was not confrontational.

“Fake news, complete nonsense,” Netanyahu’s office said in response to claims of a shouting match between the two leaders. A senior Israeli official confirmed that the call took place but likewise insisted it was “very much not a difficult conversation,” contradicting the accounts given by other sources. Despite those denials, Netanyahu’s remarks in the Knesset on Tuesday underscored significant differences over Iran. While the Trump administration wants to exhaust the possibility of reaching an agreement with Tehran, Netanyahu believes the nuclear threat cannot be permanently eliminated without the fall of the Iranian regime.

Whether and when to resume strikes on Iran has emerged as a central point of tension between the two sides. Speaking during the swearing-in of the 26th Knesset, Netanyahu warned that Iran was working to rebuild its nuclear threat and said regime change in Tehran was, in his view, the only permanent solution. “Iran is working to renew the nuclear threat. The only way to permanently remove this existential threat is by toppling the ayatollah regime,” he said.

Netanyahu also warned of diplomatic pressure he expects Israel to face in the near future. “Soon we will face international pressure to accept a nuclear Iran and the continued existence of the regime of terror that seeks to destroy us,” he said. “We will also face pressure to retreat from our tremendous achievements and from our great achievement in the security zones.” His remarks came as the United States and Iran remain in contact and as Netanyahu pushes for a renewed military campaign while Trump gives diplomacy another chance.

Netanyahu also tied the security challenges to Israel’s political deadlock, renewing his call for a national unity government. “In the face of these threats, we must do one thing in this house: put every other consideration aside and establish a national unity government,” he said. “Only it will be able to confront challenges of this magnitude.” ‘Netanyahu calls Trump every day’ Trump said Monday that renewed military action against Iran did not appear necessary for now, following a White House meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, during which the two discussed contacts between Washington and Tehran being mediated by Doha.

“At this point ... taking the military action doesn’t seem to be a very necessary thing,” Trump told reporters, while stressing that U.S. forces remained “locked and loaded.” He also said there was “positive momentum” toward ending the conflict and expressed confidence that a solution could be reached that would ensure Israel’s security. The Financial Times reported that Arab leaders are increasingly concerned Netanyahu is pressing Trump to restart the war.

A diplomat familiar with the discussions said Netanyahu calls the U.S. president every day and urges him to resume the strikes, while figures inside and outside the White House are trying to block such a move. Regional leaders, the source said, are urging Trump not to escalate and to prioritize negotiations. Another person familiar with the situation in Israel said Netanyahu does want military action resumed but that there is currently no coordinated “push” to persuade Trump.

Trump also addressed the possibility of renewed escalation in an interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes aired Sunday night, five days after Republicans suffered a major defeat in the midterm elections. Asked whether he intended to escalate the Iran war now that the elections were over, Trump replied: “Well, I’m not looking to. I don’t think there’s any reason to. I don’t think there’s any reason to.” He nevertheless defended the original decision to attack Iran, saying he would make it again because Tehran could not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Despite Trump’s optimism about a possible agreement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a more cautious tone. “I wouldn’t say we’re on the verge of a breakthrough,” Rubio said, adding that negotiations had not been productive because Iranian demands were “not just unacceptable, but in some cases outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic.”