President Trump said Tuesday he thinks Israel could leave the handling of Hezbollah to Syria, according to Israeli media reports. The remark references Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharaa, whose potential intervention against Hezbollah in Lebanon Israel has previously opposed.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he thinks Israel can leave the task of dealing with Hezbollah to Syria, according to Israeli media reports citing his remarks. The comment, reported by an Israeli news channel at around 12:57 Jerusalem time, appears to reference Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. The remark is the latest in a series of statements Trump has made on the topic throughout Tuesday afternoon: beginning at 12:57, multiple Israeli outlets reported Trump saying Israel has fought Hezbollah 'too long' with too many casualties, that he is 'not happy' with Israel's handling, and that Syria would do a better job. In earlier versions, Trump also praised al-Sharaa as 'highly talented,' claimed he installed him in Syria, and urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to 'act responsibly' in Lebanon. While initial reports quoted unnamed Israeli journalists, later versions were carried by multiple Israeli newsrooms. The White House has not issued an official statement clarifying Trump's remarks, and the Israeli government has not responded publicly.
The thread began at 12:57 Jerusalem with overlapping reports from several Israeli journalists and news outlets quoting Trump. Within the same hour, earlier bulletins at 12:57 reported Trump saying he is 'not happy' with Israel's handling of Hezbollah (version 9) and that Syria should take over. The progression shows Trump repeating and amplifying the same core proposal — Syria should handle Hezbollah — across multiple exchanges, with varying degrees of praise for al-Sharaa and criticism of Israel's tactics. No single channel has emerged as the sole source; the remarks appear to have been relayed by more than one Israeli journalist. As The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday, analyst Yair Goldblatt noted that Trump has previously raised the possibility of al-Sharaa's forces invading Lebanon to dismantle Hezbollah — a notion Israel strongly opposes.
The remarks come amid a broader context of U.S.-Israel tensions over the Lebanon campaign. As The Zioneer reported on Jun 9, Trump has previously described Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu's political future as an 'open question,' and on Monday, a Channel 14 commentator assessed that Trump's promised 'help' for Israel is still on the way. The statements also coincide with ongoing U.S.-Iran talks, which Trump said Monday he may have a clearer idea about 'within a day or two,' and during which he has hinted at accepting a 15-year enrichment suspension from Iran, as The Zioneer reported Monday morning.
It remains unclear whether Trump's remarks reflect a formal policy shift or an off-the-cuff suggestion. No official clarification has been issued by the U.S. administration or by Israeli officials, and the precise context — including who elicited the comments and whether they were part of a longer interview or a series of separate exchanges — has not been independently verified. The Israeli government's position on Syrian military involvement in Lebanon has been one of firm opposition, and how or whether that stance may evolve in response to the president's statements is unknown.
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