President Donald Trump is reportedly hardening his criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Lebanon policy, now suggesting that Israel should let Syria deal with Hezbollah, according to Israeli media. The latest statement marks a further escalation in Trump's public pressure on the Israeli premier.
President Donald Trump has reportedly sharpened his tone against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a Channel 14 report Tuesday evening. The president is now explicitly suggesting that Syria should handle Hezbollah, implying that Israel's current campaign in Lebanon is taking too long and exacting too high a cost.
Trump's latest remarks follow a string of increasingly pointed comments this week. As The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday, Trump blasted Netanyahu's Lebanon policy and urged Israel to let Syria handle the Iranian-backed militia (15:20 Jerusalem). By Tuesday evening, the public pressure had intensified, with Trump framing the choice as whether Israel can do the job without causing excessive civilian casualties.
The back-and-forth comes amid a broader rift: Trump has expressed displeasure with Israeli operations in Beirut, which he insists were not coordinated with Washington. The hardened tone, reported by a single Israeli news outlet, has not been confirmed by U.S. officials or other independent sources.
4 developments
- ConfirmedTrump Slams Israel's Lebanon Campaign as 'Mini-War,' Suggests Syria Should Handle Hezbollah
- StrongTrump says he hopes the Lebanon situation can be resolved, acknowledges Hezbollah
- DevelopingTrump, in NBC Interview, Endorses 'More Surgical' Strikes on Hezbollah and Praises Syrian Leadership
- StrongTrump: If Israel can't avoid killing everyone in Lebanon, let Syria do the job
Source and signal
- Internal intake