Israeli strikes on Gaza, Syria: Trump was 'caught off guard'; White House says US President quickly called Netanyahu to 'rectify' situation
Benjamin Netanyahu
.
Israel conducted military operations in Damascus and the Druze-majority city of Sweida, stating their intention was to pressure Syrian forces to withdraw from the area where ongoing conflicts persist.
Leavitt informed reporters at a press briefing that Trump "was caught off guard by the bombing in Syria and also the bombing of a Catholic church in Gaza," adding that "In both accounts, the president quickly called the prime minister to rectify those situations."
Netanyahu's recent White House visit marked his third since Trump's return to office on January 20. Leavitt noted, "The president enjoys a good working relationship with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, and stays in, you know, frequent communication with him," adding "When it came to Syria, we saw a de-escalation there."
A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Syria commenced on Friday. The same day, PM Netanyahu contacted Pope Leo regarding the Gaza church strike, attributing it to a "stray missile."
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years
IC Markets
Learn More
Undo
In May, Trump met Syria's Islamist president Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia after easing numerous long-standing US sanctions on Damascus. Trump subsequently praised al-Sharaa, who previously led a significant armed group formerly associated with Al Qaeda that overthrew the Syrian government in December. Following al-Sharaa's rise to power, the United States removed the bounty on his head.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
18 minutes ago
- India.com
Former Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar's widow flees from Gaza, reaches Turkey with fake passport, gets married, took along..., her husband is...
New Delhi: There is big news about the wife of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza last year. Sinwar's wife Samar Muhammad Abu Zamar fled Gaza using a fake passport. She also took her children with her. Where did Yahya Sinwar's wife flee? According to the report of Hebrew Media Net, Samar Muhammad is currently in Turkey and got married there. This marriage took place a few months after Sinwar's death. It is being said that a senior Hamas official had made full preparations for her escape from Gaza. Hamas is constantly engaged in taking its leaders and their families out of Gaza. Who arranged the marriage? Senior Hamas official Fathi Hamad had arranged Samar Muhammad's marriage in Turkey. Hamad is being described as a smuggler, who is constantly taking Hamas members and their families out of Gaza. He is taking out people associated with Hamas from Gaza with the help of fake passports, fake medical records and embassies of other countries. When did Yahya Sinwar's wife flee? According to the report, before Sinwar's death on 16 October 2024, his wife Samar had left Gaza. She entered Egypt through the Rafah border and from there went to Turkey through a fake passport. Let us tell you that Samar Muhammad married Yahya Sinwar in 2011. She is 18 years younger than Sinwar and has three children from Sinwar. Who was Yahya Sinwar? Yahya Sinwar was a prominent Hamas leader, who is considered the mastermind of the attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. He was the leader of Hamas in Gaza since 2017 and was the chairman of Hamas's Political Bureau since August 2024. He was killed in an Israeli attack on 16 October last year. Earlier on 6th August 2023, the IDF had also released a video in which Yahya Sinwar was seen running with Samar Muhammad and his children in a tunnel in Khan Younis in which Samar Muhammad was seen carrying an expensive Hermes Birkin handbag in her hand.
Hindustan Times
18 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
‘I never went to that island': Trump makes big statement amid Epstein allegations, points finger at Bill Clinton
President Donald Trump vehemently urged media outlets to stop investigating his suspected ties to late pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and instead focus on accusations against one of his predecessors. FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump gestures while boarding Air Force One, as he departs for Scotland, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., July 25, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo(REUTERS) Trump spoke to reporters while leaving the White House for a trip to Scotland, where he owns three golf estates. When reporters questioned him about the Epstein Files, the US President again rejected the allegations of his involvement in the Epstein Files and blamed Bill Clinton. He even claimed that he never went to Epstein's private island Little St. James. 'You ought to be talking about Bill Clinton. Who went to the island 28 times. I never went to the island.' In response to a reporter's question about whether he wrote a letter to Epstein, Trump stated that he has no idea what they are talking about. 'Now, anybody could have written the letter and used my name. That's happened a lot.' Also Read: JD Vance slams WSJ for 'hit piece' on Trump, accuses it of 'acting like a Democrat SuperPAC' 'I'll give you a list': Trump tells reporters Todd Blanche, the president's former criminal defense lawyer who is presently the deputy attorney general, has been meeting with Epstein's convicted sex trafficker associate and girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year jail sentence in Florida for grooming young women and girls for sex trafficker Epstein. Blanche has interviewed Trump's associate in an attempt to calm Trump's supporters ire over the denial of records from Epstein's case. The President further stated that he did not have much idea about Maxwell's talks with Blanche, adding that he trusts him as a 'professional lawyer'. 'You know, you should focus on Clinton. You should focus on the president of Harvard, the former president of Harvard. He should focus on some of the hedge fund guys — I'll give you a list,' Trump said. He later stated that although he is 'allowed' to pardon Maxwell, he hasn't given it any thought. 'I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I haven't thought about.' Earlier this month, Trump dismissed that his name was mentioned in the documents. He further claimed that former presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and James Comey, the former head of the FBI, 'made up' the Epstein Files.
Indian Express
18 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Trump says chances of EU trade deal are ‘50-50 or less'
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States has a '50-50 chance' or possibly even less of reaching a trade deal with the European Union, although he believes the EU wants an agreement. 'We're working very diligently with Europe, the EU,' Trump told reporters as he left the White House for a trip to Scotland. 'I would say that we have a 50-50 chance, maybe less than that, but a 50-50 chance of making a deal with the EU.' When asked again, he said, 'That's the big one right now … I think the EU has a pretty good chance of making a deal right now,' according to Reuters. The European Commission said on Thursday that a deal with the US was still possible, even as EU countries approved counter-tariffs on €93 billion (about $109 billion) worth of American goods if negotiations break down. The EU's main goal is to avoid the 30% import tariffs that Trump has said will take effect on 1 August if talks do not succeed. Trump said the EU would have to 'buy down' the tariff rate, though he did not give any details. Some EU diplomats believe a deal might involve a 15% tariff on EU goods entering the US, similar to an agreement the US reached with Japan. But the White House said such reports were speculative. The trade deal between the United States and Japan, announced earlier this week by Trump, may already be facing difficulties, with reports on Friday indicating disagreements over how to divide profits from Japan's planned $550 billion investment in the US. The deal includes a 15% reciprocal tariff on imported goods and was presented by Trump as a model for future trade agreements. But according to Reuters, Japan is pushing for profit-sharing based on investment contribution, while the US wants to retain 90% of the returns. Despite the tension, the agreement may have set a new benchmark for Washington's trade policy. Trump has said tariff rates will now range between 15% and 50%, with tougher trading partners facing the higher end of that scale. His 'Liberation Day' tariff plan in April had initially set a 10% base rate on all US trade partners. As part of his broader trade strategy, Trump said on Friday that formal letters detailing tariff rates for over 200 countries would be issued soon. He added that his administration was pushing to finalise trade agreements with key partners, including the European Union, India, and Canada. 'We haven't had a lot of luck with Canada,' Trump said, suggesting the US might go ahead with 35% tariffs on Canadian goods not covered by the USMCA trade deal, as reported by Fox news. Trump also said that talks with China were progressing. 'We have the confines of a deal,' he said, adding that US and Chinese negotiators are expected to meet again next week. Trump's trade adviser Peter Navarro told Bloomberg News that the EU's statements 'should be taken with a grain of salt'. It is not yet clear what the EU is willing to offer. One EU diplomat told Reuters that, unlike Japan, the bloc is not looking at promising investment in the US as part of the deal.
