US President Donald Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to begin a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syria and reduce Israel’s military presence in Lebanon, according to a report by Axios citing US and Israeli officials. The report says Trump told Netanyahu during a phone call that Israel’s military presence in Syria was increasing regional tensions and could fuel further conflict. He reportedly said the same applied to Lebanon. In response, Netanyahu’s office said the Israeli prime minister had stressed the need to maintain security buffer zones along Israel’s borders. According to the report, the call came after Trump’s meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and formed part of broader US efforts to reach a new security arrangement between Israel and Syria. Those efforts reportedly stalled because Israel was unwilling to commit to a phased withdrawal from territory it has controlled in Syria since late 2024.
