Israel's Actions in Syria, Gaza Surprised Trump amid Growing Frustration with Netanyahu

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4 days ago

The US President, Donald Trump, was 'caught off guard' by Israeli actions in Syria and Gaza last week, the White House said.
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.
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