Tense Call Between Netanyahu and Trump Over Iran; Netanyahu's Office Denies It

In depth

The prime minister and the U.S. president spoke at the end of the week in a conversation described as tense and especially sharp regarding Iran. The reports of the call were described as "a screaming match from hell." Netanyahu's office firmly denied the claims and called them "fake news, absolute nonsense."

In his speech to the Knesset, Netanyahu warned against international pressure to accept a nuclear Iran, and stated: "The only way to remove the threat is by toppling the regime." At the same time, there are sharp disagreements within the senior defense leadership: Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir objects to steps the political echelon seeks to advance and warns against escalation.

The call between the prime minister and the president took place in the context of renewed strikes in Iran. The full details of the call and what was said in it are still unclear, and Netanyahu's office rejects the version of a sharp confrontation.