President Donald Trump criticized Israel's operational methods in Lebanon on Tuesday, saying that if Israel cannot carry out its mission without killing everyone, Syria under Ahmad al-Sharaa will do the job. The remarks, reported by Abu Ali Express, continue Trump's recent public pressure on Israel over its conduct on the northern front.
President Donald Trump escalated his public criticism of Israel's military operations in Lebanon on Tuesday, arguing that if Israel cannot avoid killing everyone, Syria under Ahmad al-Sharaa should take over. According to a report by Abu Ali Express cited by The Zioneer, Trump stated: "If Israel can't carry out the mission without killing everyone, then he (al-Julani) will do the job. Syria will do the job." The remark is the latest in a series of Trump statements on the northern front, first reported at 12:57 Jerusalem, when Trump suggested Syria handle Hezbollah, said he was "not happy" with Israel's conduct, and claimed he had installed al-Sharaa. By 13:10, Trump was quoted urging Prime Minister Netanyahu to "act more responsibly"; by 14:42, he said Israel could leave Hezbollah to Syria. The new quote sharpens this theme: Trump now explicitly ties the case for Syrian intervention to civilian casualties — a condition he specifically cited as the reason for handing the mission to Syria.
The thread has evolved from a single Israeli media report at 12:57 Jerusalem to corroboration by multiple newsrooms. The initial reports relied on unnamed Israeli journalists and the Abu Ali Express account; later versions included direct quotes attributed to Trump. On-record attribution has not yet been confirmed by official White House readouts, but the consistency of the quotes across sources has increased over the afternoon.
As The Zioneer reported earlier this week, Trump has previously criticized Israeli strikes in Beirut and called for restraint. The remarks come amid active U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations and against a background of Trump warnings against Israeli operations that cause significant civilian casualties — a pattern that frames the current intervention as part of a broader pressure campaign rather than a single outburst.
It remains unclear whether Trump's remarks represent official U.S. policy or personal opinion. The White House has not issued a formal statement, and the Israeli government has not yet responded. No specific operational change has been announced by either side.
14 developments
- ConfirmedTrump Slams Israel's Lebanon Campaign as 'Mini-War,' Suggests Syria Should Handle Hezbollah
- StrongTrump reiterates criticism of Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, says apartment buildings should not be targeted for individual operatives
- DevelopingTrump, in NBC Interview, Endorses 'More Surgical' Strikes on Hezbollah and Praises Syrian Leadership
- DevelopingNetanyahu Agrees to Trump Proposal: Syria to Handle Hezbollah Instead of Israel
Source and signal
- Internal intake