‘Fake news, complete nonsense’: Netanyahu's office denies ‘shouting match from hell’ with Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has denied reports of a heated exchange with US President Donald Trump during a phone conversation over the weekend, which reportedly centred on the possibility of resuming military strikes against Iran.

According to a report by Hebrew-language outlet Ynet, cited by The Times of Israel, Netanyahu's office rejected the allegations, describing them as "Fake news, complete nonsense". The denial came after anonymous sources familiar with the conversation described it as particularly tense, with one source reportedly calling it a "shouting match from hell."

The Times of Israel also reported that a senior Israeli official confirmed the phone call had taken place. However, the official told Ynet that it was “very much not a difficult conversation.”

Netanyahu pushes Trump for fresh military action against Iran

The denial comes amid reports that Netanyahu has repeatedly pressed Trump in recent days to launch another military offensive against Iran.

According to The Times of Israel, the Israeli Prime Minister has been urging Washington to consider renewed military action even as Trump weighs the possibility of pursuing a diplomatic solution against escalating military tensions.

Trump says US does not need a deal with Tehran

Earlier in the week, Trump indicated that further military strikes against Iran were not immediately necessary.

However, The Times of Israel noted that Trump said on Thursday that the United States does not “need a deal with Tehran.”

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Israel Katz met today with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other senior defence and security officials, asserting that all decisions made during the current transitional period of coalition talks are being handled "responsibly" and in complete coordination with the military.

The Times of Israel reported that Katz's office quoted him as saying, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, I and the IDF chief of staff see eye to eye on the Iranian issue in all its aspects, and we will continue to work together and do whatever is necessary to ensure the security of the State of Israel and protect its citizens."

The defence minister's office further noted that Katz emphasised during the assessment that "all decisions are made responsibly and in full cooperation between the political and military leadership," underscoring that "Israel’s security is the central consideration," according to The Times of Israel.

The Times of Israel added that these remarks come after Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot—who currently holds the mandate to form a new government—cautioned Netanyahu against deploying security forces in the absence of an immediate threat, following reports that the caretaker prime minister has been pushing for military strikes on Iran over the objections of defence officials.

Meanwhile, citing Hebrew media reports, Times of Israel reported thatPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has begun his security briefing with Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot.

The Prime Minister’s Office does not immediately confirm the reports.

This comes after Israeli media reported that Trump and Netanyahu engaged in a heated telephone conversation over the preceding days, which reportedly deteriorated into an acrimonious exchange amid ongoing disagreements regarding the course of the war with Iran.

According to reports from Israeli news organisations Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth, the Israeli leader repeatedly pushed for renewed military action, whereas the American President preferred allowing ongoing peace negotiations with Tehran to continue.

Netanyahu has consistently argued that Washington should resume strikes and actively pursue regime change within the Islamic Republic, while Trump has favoured maintaining economic pressure to secure diplomatic concessions from Tehran. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office rejected claims that the conversation became confrontational, describing the reports as "fake news".

Israeli news outlets Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Netanyahu repeatedly urged Trump to restart the war during the call. Trump, however, continued to back a diplomatic approach as talks with Iran progressed.

Sources quoted by both outlets described the conversation as having descended into a "shouting match from hell". A senior Israeli official confirmed that the two leaders spoke over the weekend but denied that any confrontation had taken place.

The latest reports emerged days after the Financial Times said Netanyahu had been telephoning Trump daily to persuade him to resume an all-out war. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving Prime Minister, is facing uncertainty over his position after losing seats in the general election held in October.

(With inputs from ANI)

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