The aftermath of Israeli airstrikes on a residential area near Lebanon’s southern city of Tyre on Tuesday. AFP
- Trump is desperate. Pressure is also mounting from within, with Americans expressing frustration over rising fuel and fertiliser prices. Trump cannot afford to lose the midterm elections in November and lose control of Congress. A Democrat-majority Congress could resume scrutiny of Trump’s past misdeeds, especially the Epstein file cover-up, and even impeach him
The story was reported by Axios, one of Trump’s favourite news outlets. On the one hand, the news was shocking, given the control Israel and the Zionist lobby exerted over US leaders. On the other, it confirms not only the growing frustration of the Trump administration over its failure to strike a deal with Iran but also the White House’s realisation that Israel was blocking the peace Trump was desperate to achieve.
Here is how Middle East Eye reported the Trump-Netanyahu phone conversation:
“American officials cited by Axios described the call as ‘expletive-laden’, saying Trump had ‘steamrolled’ Netanyahu, warning him that further attacks on Lebanon would isolate Israel internationally.
“Summarising Trump’s comments, the official said, ‘I’m saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this.’
“A second source said that at one point during the call, Trump yelled, ‘What the f* are you doing?’
“Two officials reported that the US president accused Netanyahu of ‘ingratitude’ for keeping him out of prison—an apparent reference to the Israeli leader’s ongoing corruption trial and Trump’s public calls for Netanyahu to be pardoned.”
On Wednesday, piling more pressure on Trump, the US House of Representatives passed a bill, with several Republican members defying the party whip and voting to limit Trump’s war powers. The bill’s passage reflected growing public dissent, including within Trump’s voter base, against the war.
Yet, for strategic purposes, Trump is advised not to demonstrate his frustration publicly, lest it hand an advantage to the enemy in the on-off negotiations. The Trump administration apparently wants to confuse Iran. Hence, Trump claims that he is not in a hurry for a peace deal and that he will resume the war if Iran carried out actions A, B, or C—whereas the opposite is more likely to be true. The answer lies in Trump’s tough talk with Netanyahu, who is now destroying Lebanon after leaving nothing left in Gaza to destroy. Netanyahu aims to make peace with Iran nearly impossible. Trump is beginning to understand the plot now. No peace in Lebanon means no peace with Iran. As far as Iran is concerned, peace in Lebanon is a precondition the US must fulfil before Iran can even agree to a preliminary peace deal. Tehran will not and cannot abandon Hezbollah, its strategic ally and asset in Lebanon. Iran’s foreign minister announced there won’t be peace with Iran if there is no peace in other theatres. Iran is ratcheting up pressure on the Trump administration to rein in Israel. Ahead of Trump’s expletive-laden call, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps announced its negotiating team had “suspended talks and message exchange through mediators” over Netanyahu’s announcement of further attacks on Dahieh, Beirut’s southern suburb.
As usual, Trump resorted to rhetoric—a pressure-relief tactic. On Iran’s announcement of suspending the talks, he said, “I don’t care if they’re over, honestly... I really don’t care. I couldn’t care less.”
Trump then picked up the phone and poured out his anger on Netanyahu. After the call, he unilaterally announced that Israel had agreed to a ceasefire and claimed Hezbollah had expressed its consent to abide by it.
Trump boasted that Israel would not bomb Beirut, but that was exactly what Israel did. Netanyahu subtly proves that he is controlling war and peace in the Middle East. In an interview with a podcast channel this week, Trump asserted that it was he, not Israel, who decided to attack Iran in February.
Israel attacked Lebanon and invaded the south to neutralise Hezbollah, but the resistance group proved its mettle. It developed tiny FPV drones that are difficult to detect by radar. The more casualties Israel suffers on the ground, the more it resorts to aerial attacks.
Trump is desperate. Pressure is also mounting from within, with Americans expressing frustration over rising fuel and fertiliser prices. Trump cannot afford to lose the midterm elections in November and lose control of Congress. A Democrat-majority Congress could resume scrutiny of Trump’s past misdeeds, especially the Epstein file cover-up, and even impeach him.
After voting for the Democrat-sponsored House resolution limiting Trump’s war powers, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie said, “People are tired of this war. They’re tired of $5-a-gallon gas, $6-a-gallon diesel, and fertiliser we can’t afford to use on our fields in Kentucky.” He added that the war powers vote “sends a good message that the people’s House, which represents the people, is tired of this war.” The resolution passed in the Republican-controlled House, with 215 members voting in favour and 208 against.
Trump’s phone call to Netanyahu came on the eve of the House vote, which is not binding but sends a powerful warning signal. Yet, it appears Trump’s F words have had hardly any effect. The Israeli hardliners rose in anger. Israel’s National Security Minister and war crimes suspect, Itamar Ben-Gvir, called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reject the ceasefire in Lebanon brokered by Washington. “Mr Prime Minister, you said that a strong prime minister tells the president of the United States ‘yes’ when possible, and ‘no’ when necessary,” Ben-Gvir wrote on X. “This is the time to tell our friend, President Trump, ‘no’.”
In Israel, hardliners such as Ben-Gvir are mainstream. Playing into their hands, the crisis deteriorated into a mini war this week, driving up oil prices. The US attacked Iran’s Qeshm Island, while Iran’s IRGC targeted a US-linked vessel and US bases in the region. Kuwait came under drone attack; its airport, among other sites, was hit. One person was killed and more than 60 injured. Iran also claimed that it struck the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain and other US military assets in the region. Even before the dust settled, the US claimed the peace talks were not affected. To back this up, the US announced yet another ceasefire in Lebanon, the second in a week after talks between Israeli and Lebaon representatives in Washington. But Israel failed to honour it. Lebanon burns. Iran waits until it sees results.
The UN says at least 11 children are killed or wounded in Israeli strikes on Lebanon daily. Yesterday was the United Nations–declared International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression. The UN website states: “Every day, children living in wars across the globe are facing unspeakable horrors. They are not safe sleeping in their homes or playing outside, learning in school or seeking medical care at hospitals. From killing and maiming, abduction and sexual violence, to attacks on education and health facilities, and the denial of the humanitarian assistance that they desperately need, children are being caught in the crosshairs of warring parties at a staggering scale.”
A profound statement, indeed. But it also shows the UN’s helplessness in protecting children in armed conflicts. In the Middle East, children are killed as indiscriminately as flies are sprayed with poison. Israel continues to do this in Gaza and Lebanon. The US did in Iran, by bombing primary girls’ schools, killing more than 160 children and their teachers. No one is held accountable for these horrific war crimes against children. Yet, the US and Israel proclaim they are governed by values.
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