Report: Trump Asked Netanyahu to Withdraw Troops from Syria and Lebanon

SadaNews - President Donald Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call between them on Thursday to begin withdrawing Israeli forces from Syrian territory, and also called on him to proceed with redeployment operations in Lebanon, according to American and Israeli officials.

An American official told Axios that Trump informed Netanyahu that the Israeli military presence in Syria exacerbates tensions and could lead to escalation, adding that he said to him: "They do not want your presence there. You should redeploy." The official noted that the same stance applies to Lebanon.

For his part, the Israeli Prime Minister's office stated that Netanyahu emphasized during the call the "necessity of having security zones along Israel's borders."

The call came a day after a meeting between Trump and Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey.

According to American officials, the Trump administration has been trying in recent months to reach a new security agreement between Israel and Syria, which includes a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army from areas it has controlled since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024, but concluded that Netanyahu is unwilling to offer the required concessions.

In recent weeks, southern Syria has witnessed protests and clashes between Syrian civilians and Israeli forces in protest against their continued military presence.

In Lebanon, American mediators held a meeting today in Rome with Israeli and Lebanese officials to discuss the implementation of the security agreement that was reached between the two countries weeks ago.

The agreement calls for Israel's withdrawal from two experimental areas in southern Lebanon, allowing the Lebanese army to take position in them, yet Israeli forces have not yet begun the redeployment. The Lebanese side demands a clear timeline to complete the withdrawal, while Israel states it wants to ensure that these areas are free from weapons and infrastructure belonging to "Hezbollah."

The White House declined to comment on the details of the call, but did not deny the reports regarding it. An American official told Axios: "President Trump has a strong relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Israel has always been a great ally of the United States. There has been no greater friend to Israel or supporter of peace than President Trump."