‘There would be no Israel without me,’ says Trump, asks Netanyahu to be ‘more responsible’ in Lebanon

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Tel Aviv’s military operations in Lebanon.

Speaking to reporters at the G7 in Èvian-les-Bains, France, Trump questioned Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.

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“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, I can tell you,” he said.

The US President further said that there “would be no Israel without him”.

“Without the US, there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel because no other president was willing to do what I did,” he said.

Asserting that he shares “a great relationship” with Netanyahu, Trump urged the Israeli PM to be “more responsible” while dealing with Lebanon.

“I have had a great relationship with Bibi. Now Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon,” Trump added.

Trump’s frustration with Netanyahu stems from Israel’s refusal to accept the terms of the US-Iran ceasefire.

While the peace deal also includes Lebanon, Israel has refused to retreat from Lebanese territory.

Trump also warned Iran that “all hell will rain down” if it tries to acquire a nuclear weapon.

“The only thing that really matters to me is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, and I have said it loud and clear,” he added.

The US and Iran have digitally signed the peace deal and a formal physical signing is likely to be held on Friday.