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10h ago

Trump Confronts Netanyahu After Surprise Airstrikes in Syria and Gaza

White House says the president privately demanded a pause after unexpected airstrikes caught him off guard

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, hands President Donald Trump a folder during a meeting in the Blue Room of the White House, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, speaks during a dinner in the Blue Room of the White House with US President Donald Trump on July 7 in Washington, DC.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Thursday, July 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Overview

  • A US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on July 18 was breached by Israeli strikes on military targets in Damascus and a convoy near Sweida.
  • President Trump was “caught off guard” by strikes on Syria and a Gaza church and privately demanded that Netanyahu pause operations.
  • Senior White House officials have privately condemned Netanyahu’s tactics as reckless “madman” behavior that could undermine US diplomacy.
  • Turkey, Saudi Arabia and US envoys have lodged formal objections to Israel’s operations, highlighting strains in regional coordination.
  • US officials contend that domestic political pressures, including demands to protect Israel’s Druze community, are driving these military actions.