President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needs to be more careful in dealing with Lebanon as fighting and military strikes continue to affect the region.

Speaking at the Group of Seven summit alongside Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, The Telegraph reported that Trump also defended his support for Israel and argued the country benefited from actions taken during his presidency.

"Without the United States, there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel, because no other president was willing to do what I did,” Trump said. 

“Israel would have been blown up a long time ago, had I not gotten involved,” he added. 

Trump said he continues to have a strong relationship with Netanyahu but believes Israel should exercise greater restraint in Lebanon. 

“I’ve had a great relationship with Bibi, but now Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon,” Trump said. 

The comments follow Trump's remarks earlier this month about a phone call with Netanyahu concerning Israel's military operations in Lebanon.

At the time, Trump confirmed reports that he had expressed frustration over Israeli actions, saying he was “a little bit perturbed” that continued fighting in Lebanon was complicating efforts to advance negotiations with Iran.

Despite the disagreement, Trump emphasized that his relationship with Netanyahu remained strong.

“We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him,” Trump said in an interview released earlier this month.

Trump also said he and Netanyahu share the experience of leading their countries during periods of conflict.

The president has continued to push for a regional agreement that blocks Iran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon and reduces violence involving Iran-backed groups across the Middle East.