Just a day after getting an earful from President Donald Trump, who bluntly called him “crazy” during a heated phone call, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid down the law on June 2. He made it crystal clear: Israel will never stand by and let Iran threaten its existence. In fact, he doubled down, claiming the Iranian regime’s foundation has already crumbled.
Speaking at the handover ceremony for the new head of Mossad, Israel’s elite intelligence agency, Netanyahu didn’t mince words. “Iran has already paid a heavy price, and the regime’s core is shattered beyond repair. Let me be absolutely clear: it’s only a matter of time before it falls completely.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu addressing the crowd during the Mossad leadership transition on June 2.
He stressed that Israel’s long-standing red line remains unchanged: Tehran will never get its hands on a nuclear weapon, and it will never be allowed to put a gun to Israel’s head. Netanyahu vowed that Jerusalem will actively work to “erase the Iranian regime from the global stage,” ensuring they can no longer hold Israel hostage with nuclear threats or a massive arsenal of deadly ballistic missiles.
This hardline stance comes right after a major last-minute pivot. Just one day prior, Israel hit the brakes on a planned airstrike targeting Hezbollah positions in Beirut, Lebanon, following intense pressure and behind-the-scenes maneuvering from Trump.
According to insiders familiar with the call on June 1, the conversation between the two leaders quickly turned volatile. Trump didn’t hold back, unleashing a string of expletives as he ripped into Netanyahu over the decision to escalate tensions in Lebanon. He slammed the Israeli PM for losing his grip and called him deeply ungrateful.
A U.S. official close to the matter shared that Trump laid out a stark warning: if Israel went ahead with the Beirut bombing campaign, it would only deepen the country’s diplomatic isolation on the world stage.
The official relayed Trump’s blunt message: “You’re absolutely out of your mind. If it weren’t for me, you’d already be behind bars. I’ve been bailing you out time and again. Right now, everyone’s furious with you, and that anger is spilling over onto Israel.”
Another source with knowledge of the exchange described the atmosphere as white-hot. At one point, Trump’s frustration boiled over, and he reportedly shouted across the line, “What the hell are you even doing?”
Yet another American diplomat noted how Trump completely took control of the call, effectively shutting down Netanyahu’s plans. The Israeli leader was left with little room to maneuver, simply replying, “Alright, alright, just make sure everything is handled properly.”
The real reason behind Trump’s outburst seems pretty clear: Netanyahu’s push to widen the conflict in Lebanon was directly jeopardizing delicate, ongoing talks with Tehran. Not long after hanging up, Trump took to social media to reassure his followers, posting that negotiations with Iran were actually “moving very quickly.”
