ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH clashed overnight again despite US president Donald Trump’s angry call with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his military’s escalation in Lebanon and reports both sides had agreed to halt fighting ahead of US-hosted talks.

Israel’s military took over the medieval castle of Beaufort in Lebanese territory this week, as Netanyahu vowed to push deeper into Lebanon. The move prompted French president Emmanuel Macron to call an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

Tehran has demanded that Lebanon be included in any peace deal with Washington, fuelling speculation that Trump’s anger at Netanyahu’s latest actions in Lebanon may be due to fear it may impact his negotiations with Iran.

Axios reported that in a phone call to Netanyahu, Trump said “you’re fucking crazy” and “everybody hates Israel because of this”.

“You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass. Everybody hates you now,” he allegedly said.

Halt fighting

Trump said on his Truth Social network that after a “very productive” call with Netanyahu, it has been agreed “there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back”.

Lebanon said Iran-backed Hezbollah had also accepted a US proposal for a “mutual cessation of attacks”.

Under the arrangement, Israeli strikes on Dahiyeh, Beirut’s southern suburbs, would cease in exchange for Hezbollah refraining from launching attacks against Israel, according to a statement from the Lebanese embassy in Washington.

However, Hezbollah claimed multiple attacks on Israeli targets, mainly in south Lebanon, including after Trump’s announcement.

Hezbollah also claimed a rocket attack on an Israeli tank early Tuesday in Hadatha, in southern Lebanon, saying on Telegram it was fighting “the advance of Israeli forces”.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported late Monday that Israeli strikes on several areas in the south including in the villages of Marwaniyeh, Sidiqine, Yater and Mansouri, and also said that “a very violent detonation” rocked the town of Debbine.