Ynet Reports Trump-Netanyahu Call Turned Into 'Shouting Match From Hell' Over Iran; Netanyahu's Office Calls It 'Fake News'

Since the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began in February, the war has settled into a naval blockade and months of deadlocked talks, and the latest friction is between the two governments that started it.

Israeli news site Ynet reported, citing unnamed sources, that a phone call between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last weekend turned into a "shouting match from hell." The reported subject was whether to resume military strikes on Iran or give diplomacy more time.

The account rests on Ynet's anonymous sourcing. Neither leader has described the call.

What Israel says about the call

Netanyahu's office rejected the report outright, calling it "fake news, complete nonsense."

A senior Israeli official confirmed the two men spoke over the weekend but said it was "very much not a difficult conversation."

The call took place. How it went is disputed, and no recording or on-the-record account exists.

The disagreement that is on the record

The policy split does not depend on Ynet. On CBS's 60 Minutes, aired Sunday, Nov. 8, Trump was asked whether he would restart the war. "Well, I'm not looking to. I don't think there's any reason to," he said.

Netanyahu laid out the opposite case Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the swearing-in of Israel's 26th Knesset. "Iran is working to renew the nuclear threat. The only way to permanently remove this existential threat is by toppling the ayatollah regime," he said.

He also warned that if Iran's nuclear program is not fully shut down, "soon we will face international pressure to accept a nuclear Iran and the continued existence of the regime of terror that seeks to destroy us." He added that Israel would face pressure to retreat from its gains in the security zones.

That is Netanyahu's stated argument: a weakened Iran will rebuild, and the window to stop it is closing.

Daily calls and Gulf pressure

The Financial Times reported, citing a person briefed on the discussions, that Netanyahu has been calling Trump every day to urge a return to all-out war. "Those who don't want a war within the White House and outside have been trying to combat that," the person told the paper.

The same source said Gulf leaders are urging Trump to prioritize negotiations. A second person familiar with the situation in Israel told the FT that Netanyahu wants military action to resume but that there is no coordinated "push" on Trump.

After meeting Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose government has been mediating with Tehran, Trump wrote on Truth Social that "Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and others would prefer the status quo." He indicated renewed U.S. strikes looked quite unlikely.

Today, Nov. 12, Trump posted that "we don't need a deal with Iran," adding: "We've got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we've got their Strait!"

The White House line

A White House spokesperson told Fox News the U.S. is "in a very strong position with control of the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian economy collapsing." The spokesperson said the blockade, "Operation Economic Outcast," and the new "Operation Iron Gate" will continue "with full effect." "President Trump holds all the cards and will do whatever is best for the United States," the spokesperson said.

That statement does not rule strikes in or out. It describes continued economic and naval pressure.

Not the first reported blowup

Trump has acknowledged heated exchanges with Netanyahu before. In a June interview on the New York Post's "Pod Force One" podcast, host Miranda Devine asked whether he had asked Netanyahu "are you f*ing crazy." Trump answered: "I did." He said he was "a little bit perturbed" at Netanyahu's constant pushing.

Israel prepares while Washington holds

Netanyahu is also under domestic pressure. Times of India reports Israel's opposition is moving to form a coalition government that could end his long hold on power.

OpIndia reports that Netanyahu's security cabinet on Wednesday, Nov. 11, directed the military to prepare for a possible renewed attack on Iran, and that the opposition objected. That claim has not been corroborated in the other reporting. The Israeli government has not publicly detailed any order.

The open question is whether Israel would act without a green light from Washington. Trump has said publicly he sees no reason to restart the war. No U.S. or Israeli decision on resuming strikes has been announced.