Trump says Netanyahu must be more responsible on Lebanon

President Donald Trump sharply criticized Israel’s latest strike in Lebanon on Tuesday, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “has to be more responsible” and calling the attack on Beirut “vicious” and “too much” as the United States and Iran move toward formalizing a ceasefire deal.

Speaking to reporters in Évian-les-Bains, France, where he is attending the G7 summit, Trump said he maintains a “great relationship” with Netanyahu but objected to the timing and scale of Israel’s military action in Lebanon.

“I didn’t like where two hours before we’re signing the agreement that there was an attack in Lebanon, in Beirut,” Trump said. “I let them know that. I didn’t like that, not at all.”

The strike targeted a command center in Beirut for Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group, according to CBS News. Iran said Sunday that the attack could complicate its agreement with the United States, prompting Trump to call on “all sides” to stand down. The memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran is expected to be formally signed Friday in Geneva, Al Jazeera reported, after which the two sides will have 60 days to negotiate a final agreement.

Trump’s comments were unusually direct criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon. He said Israel had been fighting Hezbollah “too long” and that “too many people are being killed.”

“You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody because there’s a lot of people in those apartment houses — and they’re not all Hezbollah,” Trump said. “I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah because to be honest with you, I think they’d do a better job of doing it.”

On Sunday, Trump also criticized the Beirut attack on Truth Social, writing that it “should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran,” Al Jazeera reported. Fox News reporter Trey Yingst said Sunday that Trump told him he had asked Netanyahu, “what the f*** are you doing?” after the strikes, according to CBS News.

Despite the rebuke, Trump emphasized his alliance with Netanyahu and Israel. “We’re talking about some end details,” he said. “You know, you can do too much also, but we’ve had a very effective relationship. Without us, without the United States, there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel, because no other president was willing to do what I did.”

Asked whether the U.S.-Iran agreement could survive if Israel launches more attacks in Lebanon, Trump said, “It can.” He described the Lebanon conflict as “the minor war,” adding, “Iran’s the big one, but we have that little pinprick out there that constantly rears its head and that’s Hezbollah.”

Trump said the Iran deal would ensure Tehran “can’t have a nuclear weapon” or “they get blown up.” He added, “This deal is a wall to a nuclear weapon. The only thing that really matters to me is Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, and it says it loud and clear.”

Iranian officials have repeatedly said over the years that the country has no plans to develop nuclear weapons and that its nuclear activities are focused on peaceful energy, Al Jazeera reported.

Trump also said he believes Iran “has rational leadership now,” saying leaders he described as “totally irrational” are “now gone” after U.S. and Israeli attacks killed numerous Iranian officials early in the war.

Israeli officials said Monday that troops are expected to remain in Lebanon because “Trump’s agreement does not bind us,” CBS News reported. Iran’s foreign minister said any Israeli forces remaining in the country would violate the emerging deal.