President Trump, speaking at a G7 press conference alongside the Qatari delegation, sharply criticized Israel's military operations in Lebanon and Prime Minister Netanyahu's handling of Hezbollah. Trump said he told Israel he does not like its attack on Beirut, that Netanyahu "has to be more responsible" in Lebanon, and suggested Israel let Syria handle Hezbollah — claiming Damascus would "do a better job." According to Shirit Avitan Cohen of Israel Hayom, Trump is pressuring Netanyahu to withdraw from Lebanon by Friday. Israeli security officials told Maariv that "Beirut has become a prohibited zone for IDF operations."
President Trump's public pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu intensified Tuesday afternoon, with a new report that Trump is demanding an IDF withdrawal from Lebanon by Friday. The timeline, first reported by Israel Hayom's Shirit Avitan Cohen, would directly affect the current operational posture in southern Lebanon, where the IDF has been clearing threats in the forward defensive area.
The demand follows a rapid escalation in Trump's criticism over the past three hours. At 12:58 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported multiple statements from the president: first, a sourced remark that Netanyahu must "act more responsibly" regarding Lebanon; then, that Trump had suggested Israel consider having Syria handle the Hezbollah issue; and finally, that Trump explicitly said the fighting has dragged on too long and Syria "would do it better." By 15:00 Jerusalem, the president's tone sharpened further: according to Abu Ali Express, Trump said that if Israel cannot avoid killing everyone in Lebanon, "Syria will do the job."
These remarks build on a string of U.S.-Israel tensions reported this week. As The Zioneer reported Sunday — first at 17:58 Jerusalem, then at 19:35 Jerusalem, and again at 20:52 Jerusalem — Trump has denounced IDF strikes in Beirut, the U.S.-Iran deal has appeared near finalization, and Netanyahu has told the president that Israel is not bound by any Lebanon clause in the emerging agreement. The fresh ultimatum of a Friday withdrawal deadline marks the most acute public rift yet.
What remains unclear is whether Netanyahu will agree to a Friday withdrawal or resist the demand, and how the reported operational constraint — with Israeli security officials telling Maariv that "Beirut has become a prohibited zone for IDF operations" — factors into the cabinet's calculations. The president's suggestion of Syrian involvement in Hezbollah, under Ahmad al-Sharaa, is so far a unilateral proposal without any known Syrian or diplomatic response.
6 developments
- StrongTrump: If Israel can't avoid killing everyone in Lebanon, let Syria do the job
- StrongTrump reiterates criticism of Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, says apartment buildings should not be targeted for individual operatives
- StrongGoldblatt: Trump acknowledges Israeli fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon will continue
- DevelopingTrump, in NBC Interview, Endorses 'More Surgical' Strikes on Hezbollah and Praises Syrian Leadership
Source and signal
- Internal intake