US President Donald Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to initiate the withdrawal of Israeli military units from southern Syria and Lebanon during a telephone conversation last week, according to a report by Axios, which cited American and Israeli officials.
The report indicated that Trump cautioned that Israel's sustained military footprint within Syrian territory could trigger heightened regional volatility.
"They don't want you there. You should redeploy," Trump told Netanyahu, according to a US official cited by Axios. The official further noted that Trump delivered "the same" message concerning Israel's strategic military positioning in southern Lebanon.
The reported discussion occurred a day after Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the fringes of the NATO summit in Turkey.
During the summit, the US administration pressed ahead with initiatives to facilitate a fresh security matrix between Israel and Syria, the report detailed.
The White House declined to comment on the specific details of the telephone conversation but did not issue a denial regarding the narrative.
A US official told Axios, "President Trump has a strong relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Israel has always been a great ally to the United States. There has been no greater friend to Israel and a fighter for peace than President Trump."
Netanyahu reportedly opposed Trump's demand, maintaining that Israel's tactical military presence remained vital to secure its frontiers.
In an official release, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office stated, "The Prime Minister, for his part, raised the need for security zones along Israel's borders."
According to the report, the Trump administration has spent months attempting to negotiate a fresh security accord between Jerusalem and Damascus.
US officials cited by Axios stated that Washington has been pursuing a phased drawdown of the Israel Defense Forces from Syrian sectors occupied after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
However, American officials reportedly assess that Netanyahu remains hesitant to grant the strategic concessions requested by Washington.
The matter has acquired added urgency following a string of recent confrontations in southern Syria, where local populations reportedly staged demonstrations against the Israel Defense Forces' presence and entered into direct skirmishes with Israeli personnel.
These diplomatic developments unfold as US-backed negotiations between Israel and Lebanon restarted in Rome on Tuesday.
American intermediaries engaged with Israeli and Lebanese diplomatic teams to deliberate on the execution of a framework agreement unveiled a few weeks ago.
Pursuant to the understanding, Israel pledged to pull back its units from two "pilot zones" located in southern Lebanon, paving the way for the Lebanese armed forces to position themselves in the areas.
Nevertheless, the Israel Defense Forces has not yet executed a redeployment from designated sectors.
Beirut has insisted on a transparent timeline for subsequent Israeli pullbacks, whereas Israeli representatives maintain that the Israel Defense Forces first requires confirmation that the pilot zones are completely clear of Hezbollah armaments and combat networks before moving forward.
The report added that Lebanese authorities contend the US armed forces should conduct that verification.
The reported diplomatic manoeuvres are occurring against a wider backdrop of escalating regional friction.
Earlier on Wednesday, the US military re-established a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports following strikes launched by Tehran against commercial ships navigating the strategic Strait of Hormuz, further complicating a delicate provisional pact designed to restrict the theatre of conflict.
Trump's direct diplomatic pressure also arrives at a politically delicate juncture for Netanyahu, who faces domestic general elections in approximately three months.
The report noted that senior figures within the Israeli cabinet support retaining permanent strategic oversight over zones in southern Syria and southern Lebanon, asserting that the deployments are critical to thwart a recurrence of a 7 October-style attack.
-ANI
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