United States President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing concern that Israel’s continued conflict with Hezbollah could jeopardise ongoing efforts to secure lasting peace with Iran.
Speaking to reporters in France ahead of a meeting with G7 leaders, Trump declared that Israel would not have survived without American intervention.
“Israel would have been blown up a long time ago if I had not gotten involved,” Trump said, reiterating his belief that the United States remains central to Israel’s security.
The US president urged Netanyahu to exercise greater restraint, particularly regarding military operations in Lebanon.
His comments came as tensions rose over fears that Israel’s separate campaign against Hezbollah could undermine the recently announced peace framework between Washington and Tehran.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, warned that continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon would be viewed by Tehran as a violation of the interim agreement reached to end hostilities.
Although Israeli officials insist they are not bound by the deal because Israel was not directly involved in the negotiations, Araghchi argued that the United States and Israel act together on regional issues.
He maintained that the conflict cannot truly be considered over while Israeli troops remain in territories captured during the war.
Trump criticised Israel’s prolonged military operations against Hezbollah, saying the conflict had dragged on for too long and was costing too many civilian lives.
“You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody,” he said, adding that innocent people were being caught in the violence.
According to Trump, the prolonged campaign risks casting a shadow over the broader agreement with Iran, which he described as the more important objective.
In a surprising suggestion, Trump proposed that Syria could handle Hezbollah more effectively.
He said Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa might be capable of dealing with the group without causing extensive civilian casualties.
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“Israel is fighting Hezbollah too long. If they can’t do the job without killing everyone else, Syria will do the job,” he stated.
Despite his criticism, Trump said he still enjoys a “great relationship” with Netanyahu but stressed that the Israeli leader must act more responsibly regarding Lebanon.
Earlier this month, Iran launched missiles at Israel in response to the ongoing strikes in Lebanon. Trump reportedly intervened to discourage Israel from retaliating, although Israeli forces later carried out attacks inside Iran.
While Netanyahu has avoided publicly challenging the US-backed peace initiative, reports indicate that senior Israeli officials are deeply uncomfortable with the agreement.
According to Reuters, one senior official described the deal as “terrible for Israel,” reflecting concerns shared across the government.
Public opinion surveys in Israel have also shown limited support for a broader truce with Iran, leaving Netanyahu under increasing political pressure at home.
