Donald Trump insists Israel would have been ‘eviscerated’ without US support as US secret service expect Netanyahu to scupper peace
Donald Trump insisted Israel would be ‘gutted’ without his support.
The US President also said he should try to keep Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘somewhat level-headed’ and that he ‘has a lot of respect for me’.
And he argued that Netanyahu would ‘do what I say’ as deadly attacks in Lebanon risk derailing the Iranian peace plan.
But US intelligence agencies warned last night that Mr Netanyahu would try to ‘undermine’ Trump’s peace efforts, the Washington Post reported.
Asked if he could control Israel in Lebanon, Trump told the Axios news site: ‘Yes. ‘They respect me so much and do whatever I say.’
This happened when the Israeli Armed Forces and Hezbollah exchanged blows immediately after agreeing to a new ceasefire.
On Wednesday, Tehran canceled talks scheduled for yesterday, citing the conflict in Lebanon, while pressing Mr Trump to force Mr Netanyahu to halt the attacks.
According to the memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran three days ago, both Israel and Hezbollah were required to immediately cease hostilities in Lebanon. Netanyahu, who did not sign the memorandum and did not take part in the talks, promised to stay in the ‘security zone’ that Israel created beyond the border indefinitely.
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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks after touring the newly designated Air Force One presidential aircraft at Joint Base Andrews on June 19
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a press conference in Jerusalem on June 15
Hours before the ceasefire began, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said: ‘For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must cry. ‘The whole of Lebanon must burn.’
And Mr. Netanyahu ordered his forces to hit 150 targets across the country after the terror group killed four IDF soldiers in overnight drone strikes; this resulted in at least 47 deaths and 97 injuries.
During the meeting, it was seen that Washington and Tehran forced Israel and Hezbollah to agree to cease hostilities at 16:00 local time yesterday.
“Following the mutual ceasefire earlier today, we understand that Israel and Hezbollah are now in a ceasefire,” a senior US official told Reuters. A Hezbollah source said: ‘As soon as we received the news of the ceasefire, we implemented it from our side.’
But immediately afterwards, a dozen IDF attacks were reported in southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah drones sounded sirens in northern Israel.
Lebanese sources said that Israeli air strikes continued for another hour after the ceasefire started and then decreased.
President Trump later told NBC News that he had spoken to Israel and asked Israel to stop the attacks, but he declined to specify whether he had spoken directly to Netanyahu.
