Netanyahu Confirms Heated Call with Trump, Insists They Agree on 'Main Things'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed in an interview on June 4, 2026 that he had a heated conversation with US President Donald Trump — publicly acknowledging the tense exchange first reported June 2 regarding a planned Israeli strike on Hezbollah targets in Beirut. Netanyahu downplayed the rift, insisting that he and Trump agree on 'the main things' and that the disagreement was tactical rather than strategic. The episode — in which Trump urged Netanyahu not to strike Beirut — reflects ongoing divergence between Washington's desire to contain regional escalation (particularly as the US remains engaged in direct military operations against Iran) and Israel's posture of proactive deterrence against the full Iran-aligned Axis of Resistance. Israel agreed to defer the strike provided it was not attacked first.