Trump urged Netanyahu to withdraw Israeli forces from Syria, Lebanon: Report
Axios reports U.S. president pressed Israeli premier to redeploy troops as Washington seeks new regional security arrangements with Syria and Lebanon
WASHINGTON (MNTV) — U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to begin withdrawing Israeli forces from parts of Syria and Lebanon, according to a report by Axios citing U.S. and Israeli officials familiar with the discussions.
The request was reportedly made during a phone call last Thursday, in which Trump expressed concern that Israel’s continued military presence in southern Syria could heighten regional tensions and increase the risk of further escalation.
According to the report, Trump told Netanyahu that Israeli troops should leave Syrian territory because local authorities did not want their continued presence. He also made a similar appeal regarding Israeli military deployments in southern Lebanon.
Netanyahu, however, defended Israel’s position, arguing that the country needed to maintain security zones along its borders. His office said the Israeli prime minister stressed that the military presence remained necessary for national security.
The reported conversation took place a day after Trump met Syria’s interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Türkiye.
According to Axios, the Trump administration has spent recent months attempting to broker a new security arrangement between Israel and Syria that would include a gradual Israeli withdrawal from territory occupied following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024.
U.S. officials cited by the publication said those diplomatic efforts have made little progress because Netanyahu has been unwilling to accept the proposed withdrawal terms.
The issue also coincides with Washington’s efforts to negotiate a separate security framework between Israel and Lebanon. Under discussions held by U.S. mediators in Rome this week, Israel reportedly agreed to withdraw from two areas in southern Lebanon to allow the Lebanese Armed Forces to deploy.
Lebanese officials have continued to call for a clear timetable covering additional Israeli withdrawals, while Israeli authorities maintain that any further redeployment will depend on verifying that the areas are free of Hezbollah weapons and military infrastructure.
The White House declined to comment on the Axios report but did not dispute the account of the conversation between Trump and Netanyahu.
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