Trump urges Netanyahu to pull troops from Syria, Lebanon

U.S. President Donald Trump pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to begin withdrawing Israeli troops from Syria and to redeploy forces from southern Lebanon during a phone call on July 10, according to officials familiar with the conversation. The reported appeal highlights a growing policy divergence between the two allies, with the U.S. administration seeking to de-escalate regional tensions while the Israeli government insists on maintaining its military presence.

During the call, Trump warned Netanyahu that Israel's military footprint inside Syria was creating friction and risked further escalation, telling the prime minister, "They don't want you there. You should redeploy." The president delivered a similar message regarding Israeli positions in Lebanon, according to the officials. The conversation occurred one day after Trump met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Turkey, part of a months-long U.S. effort to broker a new security arrangement between Israel and Syria.

Israeli officials maintain that control over zones in southern Syria and southern Lebanon is essential to prevent cross-border attacks similar to the Hamas...