How The Iran Deal Has Turned Trump And Netanyahu Against Each Other

Published 17 June 2026 · world

How The Iran Deal Has Turned Trump And Netanyahu Against Each Other Published By, Last Updated: June 17, 2026, 13:42 IST The Iran deal has

How The Iran Deal Has Turned Trump And Netanyahu Against Each Other Published By, Last Updated: June 17, 2026, 13:42 IST The Iran deal has left Netanyahu with no easy choice: challenge Trump and risk the alliance, or back down and risk his political future at home. Rapid Read US President Donald Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. For years, Benjamin Netanyahu presented his relationship with Donald Trump as proof that he alone could manage Israel’s most important ally. Trump, in turn, repeatedly portrayed himself as Israel’s strongest supporter. That partnership is now under severe strain. The immediate source of the rupture is the US-Iran agreement that brought the war to an end. Trump wants to present the deal as a political victory. Netanyahu, however, entered the conflict with far broader objectives: weakening Iran’s clerical leadership, curbing its nuclear and missile programmes and reducing its support for Hezbollah and other armed groups. With those aims still unresolved, the Israeli prime minister now faces an agreement that his government believes could restrict Israel’s military options while allowing Iran to preserve important sources of leverage. The dispute was sharpened by repeated Israeli attacks in Lebanon during the negotiations, including a strike on Beirut hours before the US-Iran agreement was announced, which nearly derailed the deal and drew unusually harsh criticism from Trump. “Why did Bibi have to do a f*cking attack?" Trump told Axios. “I was so pissed off. I let him know. He has no f*cking judgment. I let him know that." Why Lebanon Has Become The Main Flashpoint Trump and Netanyahu have repeatedly clashed over Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump described Netanyahu as “f*cking crazy" during an angry phone call earlier this month and ordered him not to strike Beirut while Washington was trying to reach an agreement with Iran. Netanyahu cancelled attacks that day, but struck Beirut’s southern suburbs a week later. The attack triggered Iranian missile fire and prompted Trump to publicly rebuke both sides. According to Sky News, Trump also accused Israel of killing too many people in Lebanon, claimed Netanyahu took orders from Washington and declared that “without me there would be no Israel". Netanyahu has responded carefully, avoiding a direct public confrontation while insisting that Israel’s security decisions remain his responsibility.

“He is the president of the United States, I am the prime minister of Israel. We many times see eye-to-eye and there are times when we see eye-to-eye less so. I am in charge of Israel’s security interests," he told reporters in Jerusalem. Why Israel Sees The Iran Deal As A Threat The interim agreement creates a 60-day negotiation period during which the US and Iran are expected to negotiate a broader settlement. Its full terms have not been officially released. Pakistan, which helped mediate the talks, has said the agreement provides for a permanent halt to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. Israel’s concern is not only about what the pact contains, but also about what appears to have been left out. The agreement is expected to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while postponing the future of Iran’s nuclear programme to the next phase of negotiations. Iran’s ballistic missile programme and its support for regional armed groups are not believed to be on the negotiating agenda, even though both had been cited by Trump and Netanyahu as reasons for the war. A senior Israeli official described the preliminary deal to Reuters as “terrible for Israel". “And there is no one in the Israeli leadership who views it otherwise, from the prime minister to the chief of staff," the official said. Israeli officials also fear that the 60-day period could be extended to 90 days or beyond. In their view, that would prevent Israel from acting while negotiations continue, even as its principal concerns remain unresolved. Two Israeli officials told Reuters that Israel was surprised when Trump announced that a deal was close and acknowledged that the Netanyahu government had achieved little success in shaping the talks. According to Sky News, Netanyahu has not yet seen the wording of the agreement. Israel Says It Will Retain Freedom Of Action Netanyahu has made clear that Israel does not consider itself fully bound by an agreement negotiated between US and Iran. He has said Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon and continue operating against Hezbollah, despite Iran’s demand that Israel withdraw. “Iran wanted us to withdraw from it but I stood firm," Netanyahu said.