President Donald Trump on Wednesday further distanced himself from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to Iran and Lebanon, declaring that only Israel wanted the United States to continue bombing Iran and arguing that extending the war could have triggered a global economic catastrophe.

Speaking at the Group of Seven summit in France, Trump portrayed the developing U.S.-Iran agreement as a sweeping diplomatic achievement that would end the current conflict, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“There was only one country that wanted us to continue bombing Iran,” Trump said, referring to Israel. “Only fools would want that.”

Trump said the alternative to reaching an agreement was the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passageway for global energy shipments, and potentially a worldwide recession.

“The alternative to this deal was a global recession,” Trump said. “There are stupid people who want to see a global recession. They are just stupid people. The Strait of Hormuz would never have been opened.”

The comments represented one of Trump’s most direct public breaks with Netanyahu since the conflict began. Although Trump called the Israeli prime minister “a great man” and described the U.S.-Israel relationship as a good partnership, he made clear that Washington — not Jerusalem — would determine the broader direction of the campaign.

“He gets emotional from time to time,” Trump said of Netanyahu. “We have a good partnership, but he is the small part of the partnership, and we are the decision-makers.”

“This meeting could not have come at a better time,” Trump said of the G7 gathering. “On Sunday, we reached an agreement with Iran that achieves everything we set out to accomplish — ending the current conflict, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and preventing Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon.”

Trump added: “Any relief they receive under this deal, they will have to get based on merit. It won’t be from us. Some people may want to invest. What are you going to do, say you can never invest in a country? That’s pretty tough. I don’t mind being tough but it’s pretty crazy. They need investments.”

Despite Trump’s sweeping description, the arrangement remains a preliminary framework rather than a completed permanent peace agreement. The reported memorandum would extend the ceasefire for 60 days while the United States and Iran negotiate unresolved questions involving Tehran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief and the long-term security of international shipping. The full text had not been publicly released as of Wednesday.

Trump also left open the possibility of renewed American military action.

“I don’t want to bomb Iran again, but might have to,” he said, warning that the United States could return to combat if Tehran failed to comply with its commitments.

The president separately addressed Iran’s uranium stockpile, saying it was secure and could eventually be recovered.

“Nobody can get it, so it’s not important that we do it quickly,” Trump said. “But we could do it fairly quickly. When we have a chance, we will do it.”

The uranium issue remains among the most consequential and least clearly resolved elements of the emerging deal. The preliminary framework is intended to create time for negotiations, but questions remain about Iran’s enrichment capabilities, existing nuclear material and the verification measures Tehran would be required to accept.

Trump’s strongest criticism of Israel focused on its military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, where renewed Israeli airstrikes have threatened to undermine the broader regional ceasefire effort.

“I think Israel could do better with respect to Hezbollah,” Trump said. “I’m not saying they shouldn’t protect themselves.”

But he argued that Israel’s response to limited Hezbollah attacks had sometimes been excessive.

“When two drones are shot into the desert and drop harmlessly, you don’t have to knock down buildings in Beirut,” Trump said. “They could behave better.”

Trump said he had personally urged Netanyahu to exercise greater restraint.

“You don’t have to knock down a building every time somebody walks into it that’s from Hezbollah,” he said. “I told him to be more gentle with Lebanon and not to take down a building with a Hezbollah man inside.”

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