Trump scolds Netanyahu over Lebanon strikes at G7
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- Trump publicly scolded Netanyahu at the G7 summit in France on Wednesday, urging the Israeli leader to hold back attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon
- At the summit's closing press conference, Trump said Netanyahu "gets a little excited" and told reporters "I feel bad for Lebanon"
- The rebuke came amid high-stakes US negotiations with Iran, whose regional ally Hezbollah operates from Lebanese territory
- Trump delivered the message on the sidelines of the G7 as the multilateral summit wrapped up in France
Why it matters: Trump's on-record rebuke of Netanyahu at the G7 puts daylight between Washington and Jerusalem over Lebanon strikes while the US pursues a diplomatic deal with Iran. Hezbollah is Iran's Lebanese ally, so restraining Israeli operations is a direct prerequisite for the Iran track. Delivering the message at the G7 — with six other major economies watching — makes the divide harder to walk back quietly.
