A public rift has emerged within Israel's government after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for backing down from planned military action in Lebanon following what has been described as a heated phone call with US President Donald Trump.
Ben-Gvir, one of the most hardline members of Netanyahu's coalition, took to X on Tuesday to urge the prime minister to resist American pressure and continue military operations against Hezbollah.
"This is the time to tell our friend, President Trump—'no'," Ben-Gvir wrote, arguing that Israel should "do what is required and necessary to strike Hezbollah" and restore security to northern Israel.
אדוני ראש הממשלה,
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) June 1, 2026
אמרת שראש ממשלה חזק אומר לנשיא ארה״ב- ׳כן׳ כשאפשר, ו׳לא׳- כשצריך.
זה הזמן לומר לידידנו, הנשיא טראמפ-׳לא׳.
כעת הזמן לעשות מה שמתחייב ונדרש כדי להכות בחיזבאללה, להתיר את ידי לוחמינו ולהחזיר את הביטחון לצפון.
His remarks came hours after Trump announced that Israel had agreed to halt planned military operations in Lebanon.
In a post on Truth Social, the US president said he had held a "very productive" conversation with Netanyahu and that "there will be no troops going to Beirut." Trump also claimed Hezbollah had agreed to stop attacks, adding that both sides would refrain from further military action.
The apparent de-escalation followed an extraordinary phone conversation between Trump and Netanyahu that Axios described as one of the most hostile exchanges between the two leaders since Trump's return to the White House.
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Citing two US officials and another source briefed on the call, Axios reported that Trump erupted at Netanyahu over Israel's military actions in Lebanon, accusing him of undermining US diplomatic efforts in the region.
The report said Trump was particularly angered by concerns that the conflict could derail sensitive nuclear negotiations with Iran.
Trump repeatedly berated Netanyahu during the call, with one US official summarising the president's message as accusing the Israeli leader of reckless escalation that was damaging both Israel's international standing and American diplomatic objectives.
The confrontation marks a striking deterioration in relations between the two longtime allies, who have often projected a close political partnership. It also exposes divisions within Israel's leadership, with ministers such as Ben-Gvir demanding a tougher military approach even as Netanyahu appears to be balancing domestic pressure against growing concerns from Washington.
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