Israel is fighting three wars simultaneously: the war on Gaza, with daily civilian killings; the war on Iran, along with its partner the US; the war on Lebanon, supposedly targeting Hezbollah, but indiscriminately killing Lebanese citizens not connected to Hezbollah.
Over 3,400 people have been killed in Lebanon, and nearly 10,000 have been wounded, by Israeli strikes since fighting escalated in the region.
On June 1, Israeli prime minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz stated they had ordered massive airstrikes on Beirut "following the Hezbollah terrorist organization's repeated and ongoing violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon and its attacks against our civilians and cities".
Within minutes, Trump called Netanyahu and called off the bombing, after being informed that Iran pledged to stop negotiating with the US to stop the war and open the Strait of Hormuz if Beirut was massively attacked.
Trump views making a deal with Iran to stop the war, Trump started, as priority, and wouldn't allow Netanyahu to prevent the deal.
Netanyahu's priorities do not align with Trump's priorities. Netanyahu wants to destroy Lebanon, from North to South, and bring down the Lebanese government, who he deems as unable to disarm Hezbollah. Israel's goal is to annex Gaza, the Occupied West Bank, the south of Lebanon up to an including Beirut, the southern parts of Syria up to Damascus, which are currently occupied by Israeli troops and military posts. The Golan Heights are already gone; Trump allowed for their annexation in his first term.
Israel is counting on manipulating Trump, and milking his time in office for all that it's worth. But, the phone call didn't go the way Netanyahu wanted.
Trump said after his call with Netanyahu that the Iran negotiations "are continuing, at a rapid pace."
The Lebanese Embassy in Washington later announced that Hezbollah accepted a U.S. proposal for a "mutual cessation of attacks" and that Trump had told the Lebanese ambassador he'd secured Netanyahu's agreement.
"I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, and there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back," Trump wrote afterward.
Trump's statement demonstrated his lack of understanding what Israel had planned for Beirut. Troops were never involved; Israel had planned for a massive wave of airstrikes over Beirut. On April 8, Israel had bombed 100 targets in 10 minutes, including residential neighborhoods in Beirut which had no connection to Hezbollah. However, Trump's reference to troops marching on Beirut may signal he is aware of Netanyahu's end-game.
Trump said he'd had a "very good call" with "highly placed Representatives" of Hezbollah who agreed "that all shooting will stop -- That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel."
Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, is not a member of Hezbollah, but has on occasion represented the resistance in negotiations. Berri had told the Trump administration on May 31 that Hezbollah was ready for a ceasefire.
According to Barak Ravid and Marc Caputo of Axios, the call between Trump and Netanyahu was explosive.
Axios reported details on the leaked June 1 call between Trump and Netanyahu in which Trump said, "You're f*cking crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this."
Trump accused Netanyahu of being the reason for global hatred of Israel in the June 1 phone call, Axios reported.
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