Trump and Netanyahu Clash Over Iran Strategy in Reported Heated Call

A weekend telephone call between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly grew tense over disagreements on how to handle Iran, according to Israeli media outlets Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth. The reports said Netanyahu repeatedly pushed for a resumption of military action, while Trump favored allowing ongoing diplomatic talks and economic pressure to continue.

Citing unnamed sources, the outlets described the conversation as a "shouting match." However, the Israeli Prime Minister's office rejected that account, calling the reports "fake news," and a senior Israeli official confirmed a call took place over the weekend but denied that any confrontation occurred between the two leaders.

The reports follow a Financial Times story that Netanyahu has been in frequent contact with Washington, urging a return to full-scale strikes on Iran. The Israeli premier has argued publicly that regime change in Tehran is the only way to permanently end what he describes as the country's nuclear threat, telling the Knesset that toppling the current government is necessary to remove the danger.

Trump, for his part, has so far avoided restarting the war, opting instead to let America's economic pressure campaign push Tehran toward concessions. The two leaders have reportedly had several tense exchanges on the subject in recent months, underscoring a rare public split between the close allies over the path forward on Iran.

Netanyahu's political position has also drawn attention after his party lost seats in October's general election, raising questions about his hold on power as Israel's longest-serving prime minister. Neither the White House nor the Israeli government has issued a formal joint statement on the reported call, and the details remain contested between the sources and the prime minister's office.