Days after Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli strike in Iran, US President Joe Biden reportedly had a blunt conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Channel 12 News, Biden told Netanyahu to "stop bullshitting me" during their call on Thursday, though the report did not cite any official sources.

The stern comment came after Netanyahu informed Biden that Israel was progressing in negotiations for a hostages-for-ceasefire deal with Hamas and planned to send a delegation to resume talks soon. Biden concluded the conversation with a cautionary remark: "Don't take the president for granted."

This exchange took place in the context of heightened Israeli-US cooperation amid fears of a potential full-scale war with Iran and its proxies. The tensions have escalated as Iran and groups supported by Tehran have vowed revenge for the recent killings of their leaders. Biden has been rallying regional powers to help fend off Iran's significant missile and drone attacks on Israel that occurred on the night of April 13–14.

Responding to the report, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office released a statement on Saturday, asserting that Netanyahu does not interfere in American politics and expects the same respect from the US regarding Israeli politics, as reported by The Times of Israel.

In a related development, following President Biden's decision to withdraw from the US presidential race, Netanyahu appears more determined to take decisive action against Iran. A senior Israeli official told The Telegraph that Biden had been trying to restrain Netanyahu while he was still seeking re-election, advising him not to respond too harshly to Iran’s provocations. This perceived restraint by the US President reportedly emboldened Iran to exploit the situation and attack Israel.