The picture for the public is one thing: Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu as an inseparable alliance. The picture behind closed doors, it seems, is something else entirely. According to an Axios report, citing two American officials and another source familiar with the conversation, Trump fiercely lashed out at the Israeli PM over the phone over the escalation of the conflict in Lebanon - and called him "crazy."

The tone, according to the sources, was furious. Trump told Netanyahu that the planned bombing of Beirut would only isolate Israel further on the international stage. At one point he even pointed out that it was he, Trump, who deserves the credit that Netanyahu didn't end up in prison - an allusion to his support during the Israeli PM's corruption trial. In other words: "I'm saving you, and you're making problems for me."

The context is key. The call came after Iran threatened to break off talks with the US precisely over Israel's military actions in Lebanon. Trump, evidently, cared more about his negotiations with Tehran than about his ally's plans - and so he stopped the Israeli plan to strike the Lebanese capital.

There's a human detail behind the diplomatic fury too. According to one official, Trump was worried about the high number of civilian casualties in Lebanon and opposed the tactic of levelling entire buildings to eliminate a single Hezbollah commander. After the call, an Israeli official confirmed that Israel no longer plans strikes on targets in Beirut.

For the Balkan reader, used to alliances that crack the moment interests diverge, this is a familiar story. An alliance lasts as long as the benefit does - and when one partner judges that the other threatens its plans, the "friendship" suddenly sounds much louder on the phone than in front of the cameras. The only question is how long conversations like this will stay behind closed doors.