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Trump calls Netanyahu a ‘warrior PM,’ touts ‘great' ties with Israel amid tensions over Iran
The Times of Israel • • general
Key Points:
- US President Donald Trump praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "warrior prime minister" and highlighted the strong US-Israel relationship amid recent tensions over Israeli military actions in Lebanon.
- A new US-Iran memorandum of understanding calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon, but Israel refuses to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon, insisting the buffer zone is necessary to protect against Hezbollah attacks.
- US intelligence warns Netanyahu may escalate military actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon, potentially undermining the Trump administration’s peace efforts with Iran, with concerns that continued Israeli presence risks renewed hostilities.
- Netanyahu is reportedly working to calm Israeli ministers demanding stronger military responses, while some in the Trump administration are seeking informal ties with Israeli opposition figures amid uncertainty over Netanyahu’s political future.
- Recent violence included the killing of four Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon and subsequent Israeli airstrikes that reportedly killed at least 47 people in Lebanon, underscoring the fragile and volatile situation despite a new ceasefire agreement.
