In New York Times interview, US president says he saved Israel from nuclear threat and warns strikes on Tehran could resume if final talks failynet|U.S. President Donald Trump sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview with The New York Times on Monday, saying the Israeli leader “should be very thankful” for the emerging agreement with Iran and claiming his administration had saved Israel from nuclear destruction.“He’s a very difficult guy,” Trump said of Netanyahu, “and to be honest with you, he should be very thankful to us for doing this. Because if Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel wouldn’t be around for two hours.”1 View gallery (Photo: ATTA KENARE / AFP, JOE RAEDLE / AFP, Anna Moneymaker / AFP)Speaking earlier to Fox News, Trump said he told Netanyahu after the Beirut strike: “What the f**k are you doing?” Axios later reported that Trump said the strike delayed the signing of the U.S.-Iran agreement by several hours, though the deal remained on track.“It is so bad — I couldn't believe it. An hour before we are supposed to sign the deal,” Trump said. He acknowledged that Hezbollah had attacked Israel first, but stressed that no one was killed and no serious damage was caused. “Why did Bibi have to do a fucking attack? I was so pissed off. I let him know. He has no fucking judgement.”Trump also wrote that the Beirut strike “should not have happened,” adding that Israel had the right to defend itself but that “all sides should stand down” because the United States was close to a deal “that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon.”In the New York Times interview, Trump said the agreement would make the Strait of Hormuz “permanently toll free,” though the text has not been published and the paper reported that the memorandum only suspends tolls for 60 days. He warned that if Iran failed to reach a final nuclear agreement, he could restart military attacks on Tehran or make the United States “the guardian of the Middle East” in return for 20% of regional revenues.Israel has said it is not a party to the U.S.-Iran deal, and officials in Jerusalem fear it could restrict the IDF’s freedom of action against Hezbollah in Lebanon.Comments