Trump Claims Israel Obeys Him After 47 Killed in Lebanon Strikes
Updated
Updated · Forbes · Jun 19
Trump Claims Israel Obeys Him After 47 Killed in Lebanon Strikes
3 articles · Updated · Forbes · Jun 19
Summary
Axios published Trump saying he must keep Benjamin Netanyahu “a little bit sane” and that Israel “do as I say,” sharpening his public claim of control over Israeli decisions.
Those remarks landed hours after Israeli strikes hit Iran-backed Hezbollah targets in Lebanon overnight Thursday, with Lebanon’s health ministry reporting at least 47 people killed.
A new Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire took effect Friday, and Trump told NBC he had asked Israel to stop the fighting, though he would not say whether he spoke directly with Netanyahu.
The comments come as top Israeli officials have widely criticized Trump’s Iran deal, making his assertions of influence over Israel part of a broader effort to project leverage.