Netanyahu defies Trump, again - can he take Tehran alone?

On Monday morning, the US-Iran ceasefire that has held - barely - since April, is in serious danger of collapse. Overnight, Iran fired multiple waves of missiles into Israel in its first direct bombardment since the truce. It followed an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs that killed two people and wounded twenty, just days after Lebanon and Israel had renewed their ceasefire in Washington. Israel said it was hitting Hezbollah command centres. Iran said it acted in defence, calling its strikes a “warning” against further Israeli aggression in Lebanon. US President Donald Trump has weighed in. This morning, he demanded both sides "immediately stop shooting". But Israel struck Tehran after Trump had publicly urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate. That gap - between what Washington asks and what Israel does - has been the story of the past two weeks. Trump called Netanyahu "fucking crazy" on the phone last week, telling him "you'd be in prison if it weren't for me". It came amid Israel's escalations in Lebanon, which continuously threaten to blow up US negotiations with Tehran. Netanyahu has played down the, calling it a "tactical disagreement" between friends. But is this the straw that breaks the camel’s back? And if Netanyahu risks it all, can Israel take Iran without US support? Mathilda Mallinson is joined by Israeli diplomat and analyst, Alon Pinkas. Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Catch previous episodes of MEE LIVE, our biweekly news programme exploring the stories shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis, and hard-hitting interviews. Originally airing Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12pm ET | 5pm BST Got a story tip or question? Reach us at [email protected] Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye