U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed reports that he expressed frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone conversation earlier this week, citing concerns that Israel’s military actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon were complicating ongoing efforts to secure peace negotiations with Iran.
Speaking in an interview released Wednesday, Trump acknowledged that the call became tense but emphasized that his relationship with the Israeli leader remains strong.
“We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him.”
Trump said he was “a little bit perturbed” by developments in Lebanon, which he believes could hinder diplomatic efforts aimed at ending regional hostilities and addressing concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The U.S. president’s remarks come as his administration faces increasing pressure to help resolve tensions in the Middle East, with rising energy costs and economic uncertainty creating political and economic challenges both domestically and internationally.
Despite concerns about the conflict, Trump declined to provide a definite timeline for a resolution. He noted that the strategically important Strait of Hormuz could remain disrupted for some time, although he expressed confidence that the situation would eventually stabilize.
“I don’t know. I mean, I think it could be (closed through Labor Day), but I think it’s unlikely. I think that we’ll have it. I think this will resolve itself fairly quickly.”
Trump also claimed that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been involved in discussions aimed at ending the conflict.
“They have a lot of respect for him.”
According to Trump, Khamenei is reportedly recovering from injuries sustained in an airstrike but continues to play a role in approving decisions related to negotiations.
Meanwhile, uncertainty persists over the prospects of a lasting ceasefire as violence continued in Lebanon. On Wednesday, an Israeli strike targeted a vehicle along a busy highway in Khaldeh, south of Beirut, just hours before another round of talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Washington.
Israeli authorities did not immediately provide details about the outcome of the strike, though similar operations have often targeted members of Hezbollah.
The latest developments come days after Israel and Lebanon reached a U.S.-mediated arrangement under which Israel agreed to refrain from attacking Beirut’s southern suburbs while Hezbollah would halt attacks on northern Israel.
Officials involved in the negotiations reported progress during the first day of talks. Lebanon is seeking a nationwide ceasefire, while Israel continues to push for the immediate disarmament of Hezbollah before withdrawing troops from areas it currently occupies in southern Lebanon.
Shortly after the strike in Khaldeh, the Israeli military announced that it had intercepted what it described as a hostile aircraft originating from southern Lebanon, though it did not directly attribute the incident to Hezbollah.
The militant group has not claimed responsibility for any cross-border attacks since the latest agreement took effect.