Netanyahu Tells Trump Israel's Dahiya Strategy Won't Change After Phone Call

TEHRAN, Iran — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump, with a source telling Israel's Channel 14 the conversation was "good" and that the two leaders' positions aligned. The source said Israel made clear it would not retreat from the strategy known as the Dahiya doctrine, under which any rocket fired at Israeli settlements would be answered by strikes on the Dahiya district in southern Beirut. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the ongoing military operations, arguing the current round of conflict serves no strategic purpose for Israel. Lapid said the government's failure to explain the objective of the operations to the public reflects a lack of clear vision rather than deliberate secrecy, and accused Israel's leadership of failing in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran and the West Bank. Iran's Quds Force announced that military operations against Israel had been halted, but warned that if attacks on southern Lebanon continue, Tehran's response would be harsher.