US President Donald Trump has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the war in Gaza and refrain from public discussions about a potential military strike on Iran, CNN reported, citing sources familiar with their recent phone conversation.
The call, which took place on Monday, comes as the US continues to push for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, while also attempting to revive nuclear negotiations with Iran.
Though Trump later described the conversation as “very well, very smooth,” CNN reported underlying tensions between the two leaders, especially concerning Israel’s escalating rhetoric around Iran and its military posture in Gaza.
During the call, Trump reportedly asked Netanyahu to stop leaking information about possible operations against Iran and to de-escalate tensions in Gaza. Netanyahu, however, responded that Iran was using negotiations as a stalling tactic and had no real intention of committing to a nuclear agreement.
Meanwhile, some progress appears to have been made in Gaza ceasefire talks. Netanyahu convened his top ministers late Tuesday to assess developments, and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar acknowledged the diplomatic gains, though warned against premature optimism.
Hamas has also weighed in, saying it has not rejected the latest US proposal, but is demanding stronger guarantees to prevent future Israeli military actions.
Strains in the US-Israel relationship have widened in recent weeks. The Trump administration has bypassed Israel on key regional visits, brokered an ineffective ceasefire with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, and lifted sanctions on Syria—moves that have drawn sharp criticism from Israeli officials.
Simultaneously, Trump’s team continues to push for expanding the Abraham Accords, with hopes of including Saudi Arabia. However, Riyadh has maintained that any normalization with Israel must be tied to progress on Palestinian statehood and a two-state solution.
Adding to the friction, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee recently told Bloomberg News that a two-state solution is no longer a primary objective for Washington, citing “cultural and political realities” in the region.
In a controversial earlier proposal, Trump floated the idea of transforming Gaza into a “Gaza Riviera” under US control, which would involve relocating a significant portion of the Palestinian population—an idea widely criticized by human rights groups.
