
Israel's Actions in Syria, Gaza Surprised Trump amid Growing Frustration with Netanyahu
The remarks refer to Israel's bombing of government buildings in Damascus last week, in response to clashes that erupted in Syria's Sweida southern province between security forces, Druze armed groups and Bedouin tribes. They also refer to an Israeli strike on the only Catholic Church in Gaza, which killed 3 people.
Both incidents prompted Trump to speak with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to 'rectify' the situations, suggesting growing alarm over Israeli policies that could undermine Trump's agenda for the region. Surprising Actions
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said: 'The president enjoys a good working relationship with Bibi Netanyahu, and stays in frequent communication with him. He was caught off guard by the bombing in Syria and also the bombing of a Catholic Church in Gaza,' reported CNN.
'In both accounts, the president quickly called the prime minister to rectify those situations,' Leavitt added, in a signal that Trump was unhappy with Israel's actions in Syria and Gaza. Israeli Strikes in Syria
Against the backdrop of Sweida clashes, Israel intervened under the pretext of protecting the Druze community, launching airstrikes against Syrian government troops and convoys on Tuesday, and targeting the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters and near the presidential palace in the heart of Damascus on Wednesday. It also threatened the Syrian government with a tougher response if it did not pull its troops from Sweida.
On Saturday, the US Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, announced a ceasefire agreement between the Syrian government and Israel, supported by the US and embraced by Türkiye, Jordan and other countries in the region. Bombing Gaza Church
Furthermore, Israel on Thursday morning struck the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic church in Gaza, sparking worldwide denunciation and an immediate negative reaction from Trump. The US President called Netanyahu to express disappointment and urge him to issue a statement on the incident.
As a result, the Israeli Prime Minister released a statement voicing Israel's regret over the strike and saying it was by mistake. 'Israel deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church,' he said, adding that Israel is investigating the incident. Undermining Efforts in Syria
Trump has thrown his support behind the Syrian Transitional President, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, lifting the decades-old sanctions against the country and tasking the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, with making efforts to calm tensions in Syria.
The US President's efforts aim to 'support the country's path to stability and peace' and 'give them a chance at greatness.' He first announced the decision to lift Syria's sanctions during his landmark visit to Riyadh in May 2025.
Israel's strikes in Syria came as Al-Sharaa's administration is working to rebuild the nation, battered by more than a decade of civil war. Concerns over Gaza
With regards to Gaza, Trump hoped that Netanyahu's visit to Washington earlier in July would yield progress on a ceasefire agreement that would release the remaining hostages and bring the war to an end. Despite Trump's repeated remarks that signaled optimism regarding reaching a deal that week, the Israeli Prime Minister left the US without announcing a deal.
The situation in Gaza has raised Trump's concerns, as the civilian death toll is mounting. In the light of this, Leavitt said: 'The president's message on this conflict we've seen in the Middle East taking place for far too long, that has become quite brutal, especially in recent days, you've seen reports of more people dying. I think the president never likes to see that. He wants the killing to end.' Behind the Scenes
Trump and Netanyahu appear to enjoy warm relations. The US President agreed to join Israel in its campaign on Iran in June, striking Tehran's key nuclear sites. Meanwhile, Netanyahu said he would nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
However, the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu is complicated. Despite being strong allies, they do not enjoy close personal ties and their relation has been marked by mutual distrust at times, sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
Similarly, Axios quoted six American officials as pointing to growing frustration within the Trump administration with Netanyahu over his recent actions in Syria and Gaza, with some warning that the two men's relation could deteriorate further, amid a growing sense that Netanyahu's actions could undermine Trump's agenda.
Short link :
Post Views: 7
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Al Arabiya
24 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Russian delegation heads to Turkey for peace talks with Ukraine
Russian negotiators are flying to Turkey for the first peace talks with Ukraine in more than seven weeks, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday. State agency TASS said talks would take place later on Wednesday in Istanbul. A Ukrainian delegation has alos set off for Turkey for a new round of talks with Russia on Wednesday, a senior Ukrainian official told AFP. The team are 'on their way,' the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Data from tracking site Flightradar24 showed the plane used by Russian delegation chief Vladimir Medinsky to fly to previous talks in Istanbul had taken off from Moscow. The warring sides held two previous rounds of talks in Istanbul, on May 16 and June 2, that led to the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of dead soldiers. But they have made no breakthrough towards a ceasefire or a settlement to end almost three and a half years of war. US President Donald Trump last week threatened heavy new sanctions on Russia and countries that buy its exports unless a peace deal was reached within 50 days. But three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters that Putin, unfazed by Trump's ultimatum, would keep on fighting in Ukraine until the West engaged on his terms for peace, and that his territorial demands may widen as Russian forces advance.


Asharq Al-Awsat
24 minutes ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Russian Delegation Heads to Türkiye for Talks with Ukraine, News Agencies Say
Russian negotiators are flying to Türkiye for the first peace talks with Ukraine in more than seven weeks, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday. State agency TASS said talks would take place later on Wednesday in Istanbul. Data from tracking site Flightradar24 showed the plane used by Russian delegation chief Vladimir Medinsky to fly to previous talks in Istanbul had taken off from Moscow. The warring sides held two previous rounds of talks in Istanbul, on May 16 and June 2, that led to the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of dead soldiers. But they have made no breakthrough towards a ceasefire or a settlement to end almost three and a half years of war. US President Donald Trump last week threatened heavy new sanctions on Russia and countries that buy its exports unless a peace deal was reached within 50 days. But three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters that Putin, unfazed by Trump's ultimatum, would keep on fighting in Ukraine until the West engaged on his terms for peace, and that his territorial demands may widen as Russian forces advance.


Saudi Gazette
an hour ago
- Saudi Gazette
Iran's detainees in 'unbearable' conditions after Israeli strikes on prison
TEHRAN — One month on from deadly Israeli air strikes on a notorious Iranian prison during the war between the two countries, inmates say they are being kept under unbearable and inhumane conditions after being moved to other prisons. Despite promises by the authorities, some of those transferred from Evin Prison in Tehran say they continue to face difficulties such as overcrowded cells, lack of beds and air conditioning, limited number of toilets and showers, and insect infestations. The BBC has received accounts from the family members of prisoners moved from Evin, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity out of concern for the safety of themselves and the prisoners. Israel targeted Evin on 23 June. According to the Iranian authorities, the attack killed 80 people, including five prisoners, 41 prison staff and 13 military conscripts. The prison held thousands of men and women, including prominent political dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists and dual and foreign nationals, as well as members of religious and ethnic minorities. All inmates were subsequently moved out and sent to other prisons following the attack. Verified videos and satellite imagery confirm damage to several buildings within the complex, including the medical clinic, the visitor centre, the prosecutor's office and an administrative building. After the attack, the Israeli military described the prison as "a symbol of oppression for the Iranian people". It said it carried out the strikes in a "precise manner to mitigate harm to civilians" imprisoned there. Iran has labelled the attack a "war crime". Israel's military also said that Evin was used for "intelligence operations against Israel, including counter-espionage". It did not comment further when asked to provide evidence for the claim. Amnesty International said on Tuesday that, following an in-depth investigation, the attack constituted "a serious violation of international humanitarian law and must be criminally investigated as war crimes". "Under international humanitarian law, a prison or place of detention is presumed a civilian object and there is no credible evidence in this case that Evin prison constituted a lawful military objective," it added. Through his family members, one political prisoner who was sent to the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary, also known as Fashafouyeh Prison, said that fellow inmates told him conditions there were inhumane even before Evin detainees were transferred. He said that the prison was in such a remote and dangerous area outside the capital that his wife had not been able to visit him since he moved there. Compared to Evin, which is in an accessible, residential area in north Tehran, Fashafouyeh is located 20 miles (32km) south of Tehran, in a desert with nothing around it but a road, according to the family members. The prisoner told his family that many inmates were still sleeping on the floor at Fashafouyeh in overcrowded cells without air conditioning, although the authorities have said repeatedly that they will improve the situation. A video from inside the prison, which has been verified by the BBC, shows a cell crowded with prisoners lying on beds and on the floor. At one point, a group affiliated with the authorities came to the prison to film a video intended to show that prisoners were doing well, but other inmates began chanting "death to the dictator" — a popular protest slogan among Iranian opposition groups directed at the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and stopped them from filming, the family of the prisoner said. Families of inmates in Fashafouyeh said that political prisoners were now staying in the same cell as those accused or convicted of violent crimes. This is a tactic that rights groups say Iran uses to intimidate political prisoners and is against the United Nations' rules on the treatment of inmates. Another political detainee transferred to Fashafouyeh described his cell to his family as being unbearable due to lack of hygiene, with bedbugs and cockroaches all around, adding that the prison lacks basic amenities even compared to Evin. Human Rights Watch has previously accused the Iranian authorities of using threats of torture and indefinite imprisonment, along with lengthy interrogations and the denial of medical care for detainees. Iran has rejected these reports. Although Evin has long drawn condemnation from human rights groups over alleged torture and threats, conditions at Fashafouyeh had been "underreported", prisoners told the BBC. Prominent Iranian journalist Mehdi Mahmoodian, who was also transferred from Evin to Fashafouyeh, said in a letter published on his Instagram page that due to the non-political nature of prisoners who were held there, they had been "long forgotten" and subjected to "years of humiliation, neglect, and oppression" because "they have no voice". Fariba Kamalabadi, a 62-year-old Baha'i detainee who was transferred from Evin to Qarchak Prison, south of the capital, has said that she "would rather have died in the attack than be transferred to such a prison". Iran's minority Baha'i community has long faced systematic discrimination and persecution, denied constitutional recognition and basic rights like education, public employment and religious freedom, because the Islamic Republic does not recognise it as a religion. "Fariba has to live in Qarchak in an overcrowded cell, where it is so cramped that people have to take turns to eat food around the table, and then return to their beds afterwards because of the lack of space", said her daughter, Alhan Taefi, who lives in the UK. "Some of the roughly 60 prisoners who have been transferred from Evin with her are elderly women, and they do not receive proper medical care. There are flies everywhere in the cell. Her son-in-law and grandchildren, who are six and nine, were allowed to visit her in Evin but have not been granted permission to visit her yet, as they are not considered immediate family." The BBC has contacted the Iranian embassy in London for comment on the conditions of prisoners who have been transferred from Evin. In the month since the strikes, the BBC has verified the deaths of seven civilians related to the attack on Evin, including a five-year-old boy, a doctor, and a painter. Family members of Mehrangiz Imenpour, 61, a painter and mother of two who lived near the prison complex, told the BBC that she was "caught in the tragedy" of the attack. She left home to use a cash machine and happened to be walking on a street adjacent to the prison's visitor centre as Israel struck the complex, a family member said. She was killed by the impact of the explosion. Her children are devastated, a relative recounted to the BBC. "When two states engage in a conflict, people are the ones who pay the price. Both states are guilty, both are responsible, and both must be held to account", the relative said. — BBC