US President Donald Trump said Friday his relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu is good but that Netanyahu needs to be kept 'somewhat restrained.' Trump added that without his intervention, 'Israel would have crushed them' — an apparent reference to Hezbollah — and claimed he can prevent an Israeli strike on Lebanon because the Israeli leadership respects him. The remarks are the latest in a series of public statements by Trump on Israel's military posture in Lebanon.
President Trump's remarks Friday mark a further evolution in his public commentary on Israel's military operations. The statement that Netanyahu needs to be 'somewhat restrained' follows a pattern of recent comments: on Wednesday evening Trump described Netanyahu as a 'good guy' who 'gets too excited' and acknowledged a 'small disagreement' over Lebanon; earlier that day he said Netanyahu was a 'great guy' but admitted telling him to be 'gentler' with Lebanon and not demolish buildings to target an individual Hezbollah operative. The new comments go further by asserting that without Trump's intervention Israel 'would have crushed them' — a reference likely to Hezbollah — and by claiming direct influence over Israeli decision-making. This comes as a Hezbollah drone was intercepted over Israeli forces in southern Lebanon almost simultaneously with Trump's Wednesday remarks, as The Zioneer reported. The Friday statement introduces a stronger claim of personal leverage and a more critical tone toward Netanyahu's military judgment. No immediate response has been issued by Prime Minister Netanyahu or the Israeli government.
2 developments
- DevelopingTrump says ties with Netanyahu are 'excellent,' denies frustration
- StrongTrump: Netanyahu 'great guy,' told him to be 'gentler' with Lebanon — Hezbollah drone intercepted as he speaks
- StrongTrump describes Netanyahu as 'good guy' who 'gets too excited,' claims disagreement over Lebanon
- DevelopingTrump says Netanyahu is a 'very tough man'; Iran claims ceasefire includes Lebanon
Source and signal
- Internal intake