US President Donald Trump allegedly told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel should remove IDF troops from Syria and Lebanon during a phone call on Thursday, according to a Tuesday Axios report citing US and Israeli officials.
Trump claimed that the presence of Israeli military personnel in Syrian territory could create tension and may lead to escalation, one US official told Axios.
“They don’t want you there. You should redeploy,” Trump allegedly told Netanyahu, according to the official.
IDF sources told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday evening that the report took them by surprise and they were unfamiliar with the reported phone call.
The sources stated that there has been no change on the ground and that there were no indications that the situation would change imminently.
Amid the developments, Netanyahu is reportedly pushing for a meeting with Trump at the White House, Walla reported on Tuesday evening.
Neither the White House nor the Prime Minister's Office have confirmed the prospect of a meeting.
Israel-Lebanon talks continue in Rome
The report came as Israel and Lebanon resumed peace talks in Rome to discuss the implementation of a trilateral framework between Israel, Lebanon, and the US.
The agreement, which was signed on June 26 in Washington, is aimed at disarming Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah and facilitating the withdrawal of IDF troops from southern Lebanon.
Under the framework agreement, Israel agreed to withdraw troops from two areas, allowing the Lebanese army to take control of the zones and implement measures to disarm Hezbollah.
Trump-Netanyahu call reportedly took place after Trump met with Syrian president
The call also reportedly took place one day after Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.
After Trump and Sharaa’s meeting, the American president announced that the US would move to remove Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the decision to remove the designation was due to “positive changes and counterterrorism actions taken by the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa” and would open Syria up to more international trade opportunities.
Seth J. Frantzman contributed to this report.