Trump criticises Israel over ongoing strikes in Lebanon

**Will Chalk** (0:00)
This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Will Chalk, and in the early hours of Wednesday, the 17th of June, these are our main stories. President Trump has criticised Israel for continuing strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, despite the deal with Iran that's meant to halt the fighting. Britain's Ministry of Defence is investigating after a UK-registered yacht said a Russian warship fired warning shots near it in the Channel on Tuesday morning. Also in this podcast, the US Vice President JD Vance has a new book out and in tennis.
The William sisters are returning to Wimbledon at the ages of 44 and 46
So we're just two days away from the official signing of the US-Iran ceasefire deal, but Israel continues to refuse to abide by Donald Trump's demands to stop launching attacks in Lebanon. Mr Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were on the same page when they launched the war at the end of February, saying their aim was to upend the Iranian regime and with it any chance of Iran developing nuclear weapons. But Mr Netanyahu also has his own agenda, especially when it comes to Lebanon and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. And then, at the G7 summit in France, a stern public criticism of Mr Netanyahu from Donald Trump, saying his actions in Lebanon could jeopardise the deal. James Waterhouse filed this report from the summit.

**James Waterhouse** (1:39)
As the leaders of some of the world's richest countries once again gathered for their customary group photoshoot, the serene surroundings of the French Alps and the smiles did not reflect some of the deep divisions among the attendees. There had been ambitions of discussing topics such as global inequality, online safety and cancer treatment, but what has instead dominated is once again Donald Trump and America's foreign policy. There was a summit on the US-Israeli war with Iran, and Washington's allies wanted assurances that its claimed peace agreement was robust enough to prevent Tehran from re-arming and to keep the vital Strait of Hormuz open.
During the talks, President Trump gave his most pointed public criticism yet of his close ally Israel and of its operations against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

**Donald Trump** (2:28)
I'll tell you what, Israel's fighting Hezbollah too long and too many people are being killed. And you don't have to knock down an apartment house every time you're looking for somebody, because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they're not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you. And I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah.
Because to be honest with you, I think they do a better job of doing it.

**James Waterhouse** (2:49)
There was also a meeting about the war in Ukraine, lower down on the US president's priorities. He was urged to better support Kiev and get tougher on Moscow. President Zelensky managed to secure some time with Mr. Trump today, but knows his American counterpart is losing interest in helping end the invasion of his country.

**Volodymyr Zelensky** (3:08)
I think that President Trump can do it, or maybe only him, I don't know, really. We will see what Europeans will do. Of course, Europe wants negotiations with coordination with the United States, but we don't know all the tracks.

**James Waterhouse** (3:23)
For the host Emmanuel Macron, this will be his last G7 as France's president, and he wants his legacy to be one of uniting Europe and the West. The undeniable truth, however, is that these formats have become centred on charming Donald Trump with varying levels of success.

**Will Chalk** (3:40)
James Waterhouse there. Well, I asked our North America correspondent, David Willis, what those statements from Donald Trump tell us about his relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu.

**David Willis** (3:50)
It's extraordinarily strong language from Donald Trump, Will. These are his most outspoken comments of the kind to date, and they reveal the extent of his frustration, I think, with Benjamin Netanyahu and his concern that an agreement with Iran could easily be derailed by what's happening in Lebanon. There is thought to be real anger, certainly real frustration in the White House about the way that Benjamin Netanyahu has handled the conflict in Lebanon against Hezbollah. The president had previously condemned an Israeli strike on Beirut last weekend as vicious, and today he went further than that, accusing Israel of using disproportionate force, as he put it, saying that you don't have to knock down an apartment building every time you are looking for someone. Now Israel strongly objects to this deal with Iran, of course, not least because according to the Iranians, one of the conditions is that Israel abandoned the conflict in Lebanon and withdraw from there. Now Benjamin Netanyahu is thought to regard that deal as a form of, I suppose, capitulation, if you like, and has said that his forces will remain there as long as is necessary in order to hit Hezbollah in self-defence. But Donald Trump is desperate to end this war with Iran. He doesn't want any chance of an agreement to be scuppered by Israel's conflict with Hezbollah.