Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu: Israeli media citing official
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Sources say the US president seems to have distanced himself from the Israeli premier over "manipulation" claims.
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President Donald Trump, right, listens as "Israel's" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, Monday, April 7, 2025 (Pool via AP)
"Israel's" Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly spoke “with his usual arrogance” to senior Republican officials, detailing what US President Donald Trump “must do", according to Yanir Cozin, a diplomatic correspondent for Israeli Army Radio, who cited a senior Israeli official.
However, Dermer’s approach appears to have backfired. Trump’s inner circle reportedly told him that “Netanyahu is manipulating the American president,” a characterization that did not sit well with Trump.
The cited official noted that “Trump hates nothing more than appearing to be manipulated.”
This perception, according to the correspondent's post on X, prompted Trump to cut off contact with Netanyahu, a situation that could potentially shift in the future but remains in effect for now.
Change in the US administration’s tone toward 'Israel'
Cozin began his report by questioning the change in the US administration’s tone toward "Israel" in recent days. Israeli political sources told him that Trump’s team “wants results”.
One official remarked, “If we don’t present clear plans and timelines, they move forward. This is evident with Iran, with the Houthis, and it will likely be the case with Gaza as well.”
The report follows a piece by Israel Hayom, which confirmed a growing rift between Trump and Netanyahu, describing the relationship as strained by “mutual disappointment".
While Netanyahu is said to be frustrated with Trump, the US president has also reportedly “lost patience” with the Israeli Prime Minister.
Two senior sources close to Trump stated that the president has “decided not to wait for Israel any longer and will move forward with steps in the Middle East without Netanyahu.”
Previously, Israeli media reported that Netanyahu's visit to Washington received "a surprise gut punch" when Trump announced that the US and Iran were on the verge of launching talks for a new nuclear agreement, without "Israel's" involvement.
Trump halts US airstrikes on Yemen
Moreover, in a major regional policy development, Trump recently announced that the United States would immediately halt its bombing campaign against Ansar Allah positions in Yemen.
The decision came after claims that the group had agreed to stop targeting US naval assets, with Oman reportedly brokering the understanding.
Trump called the development “good news” and a step toward regional de-escalation.
Ansar Allah: Agreement does not involve 'Israel'
Meanwhile, Ansar Allah emphasized that the scope of the agreement is strictly limited. The group’s chief negotiator, Mohammed Abdulsalam, made it clear that the understanding “does not include 'Israel' in any way, shape or form.”
“As long as they announced the cessation [of US strikes] and they are committed to that, our position was self-defense, so we will stop,” Abdulsalam told Reuters.
Moreover, the leader of Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, affirmed Yemen’s full readiness to confront any new round of American aggression.
Read more: US prioritizes shipping, not 'Israel', in ceasefire deal with Yemen
