Trump Urges Netanyahu to Adopt Restrained Approach in Lebanon Operations
At the G7 Summit in France on Wednesday, United States President Donald Trump called upon Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise a "softer touch" when addressing Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Speaking at a press conference, Trump described Netanyahu as "a good man" who occasionally becomes "a little excited," and suggested that not every threat warrants the destruction of an entire building.
"I said, you can do a little softer touch, Bibi. You don't have to knock down a building every time somebody walks into it," Trump stated, while reaffirming the enduring strength of the US-Israel alliance despite their tactical disagreements.
These comments followed sharper criticism from Trump the previous day. On Tuesday, the American leader expressed dissatisfaction with Netanyahu's handling of military operations, asserting that Israel "should have been able to do the job faster." He floated the idea of Syria assuming responsibility for managing Hezbollah, and warned that the prolonged hostilities were casting a "negative light" on his diplomatic breakthrough with Iran. Trump particularly objected to an Israeli strike on Beirut that occurred just two hours before the US was set to finalise an accord with Tehran.
Amid ongoing Israeli bombardments across Lebanon, which have resulted in thousands of casualties, Trump rebuked Netanyahu over the civilian death toll. "Israel is fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed. And you don't have to knock down an apartment house every time you're looking for somebody. Because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses. And they're not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you," he remarked on the sidelines of the summit.
Trump proposed that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa could oversee the containment of Hezbollah more effectively. "I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah. Because, to be honest with you, I think they'd do a better job of doing it... He's very capable. And he's been very good for me," Trump said. The US and Iran are expected to sign a peace deal later this week, with Tehran emphasising that peace in Lebanon is essential for regional stability. Meanwhile, the G7 has conditioned its assistance to Lebanon on a complete cessation of hostilities and the dismantlement of Hezbollah’s armed capabilities.
