Trump Held ‘Tense’ Phone Call With Netanyahu Before Israel Announced Ceasefire Talks With Lebanon

Last Updated:April 10, 2026, 9:45 PM IST

Trump had a tense call with Israeli PM Netanyahu, signaling that without direct talks with Lebanon, the US might unilaterally declare a ceasefire

It was the third conversation between the two world leaders this week. (Photo: Reuters/File)

US President Donald Trump held a “tense” phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, according to a report by CNN. Sources familiar with the conversation said Netanyahu came to believe that if he did not initiate direct engagement with Lebanon, Trump might move ahead independently and declare a ceasefire framework himself.

The call reportedly took place shortly before Israel announced its intention to pursue direct ceasefire talks with Lebanon. Diplomatic activity around a possible ceasefire involving Lebanon intensified after the call, CNN reported.

This was at least the third conversation between the two leaders this week in which Lebanon featured prominently. On Tuesday, Trump and Netanyahu also spoke ahead of the US president’s announcement of a two-week ceasefire proposal involving Iran.

During that earlier discussion, an Israeli source said Netanyahu urged Trump to keep Lebanon separate from the Iran-related ceasefire discussions, reflecting ongoing differences over how regional negotiations should be structured.

Israel, Lebanon To Hold Talks Next Week

Israeli and Lebanese officials are expected to meet in Washington next week as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to calm weeks of Israeli fighting with Iran-backed Hezbollah that has threatened to derail a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

Both sides are under pressure from Trump to bring about an end to the fighting, a key demand by Iran in parallel talks due this weekend in Pakistan.

Over 1800 People Killed In Lebanon

Israel intensified airstrikes on Lebanon following missile fire from Hezbollah on March 2, shortly after the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, according to officials. The escalation has also expanded into a ground offensive in southern Lebanon. Israeli forces ordered hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate villages it considers Hezbollah strongholds.

Lebanese health authorities report that at least 1,888 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since the escalation began, while Israeli officials say at least two people in Israel have been killed by Hezbollah rocket fire.

The latest fighting follows a previous round of clashes in 2024, during which the United States helped broker an agreement aimed at curbing Hezbollah’s military capabilities. Since then, Lebanon’s government has directed its army to work toward establishing a state monopoly on weapons, a move Israel says has not been effectively implemented.

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