US President Donald Trump has openly aired his frustration with the way Israel is waging its fight against Hezbollah. Speaking from the G7 summit currently underway in France, he made it clear that the time has come to hand the responsibility for this front over to Syria, arguing that Israel is neither wrapping the job up quickly nor sparing innocent lives.
A Blunt Question Over Israel's Tactics
Trump believes the confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah has dragged on far longer than it should have, with ordinary people paying a heavy price. Pointing directly at the military methods being used, he said, "Israel has been fighting Hezbollah for a very long time and a lot of people are being killed in it. When you are looking for someone, you do not need to bring down an entire apartment building every single time, because a lot of people live in those buildings and I can tell you they are not all members of Hezbollah."
The Big Iran Deal at Stake
The President's irritation was not limited to civilian casualties. He warned that Israel's approach could also derail the major agreement being negotiated with Iran. Trump said, "I am not happy with how Israel handled the matter of Lebanon and Hezbollah. They should have done this quickly. The matter just keeps dragging on. And when that happens, it has a bad effect on that big deal, and that deal is with Iran."
Behind his annoyance lay one specific event. On Sunday, Israel struck Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital Beirut, and that strike came just two hours before the announcement of an interim peace agreement between the United States and Iran. It was precisely this timing that left Trump particularly upset.
His Suggestion: Let Syria Lead
Trump also offered his own solution. He argued that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa could manage this front far more effectively than Israel. The President said, "I have suggested to Israel that they let Syria deal with Hezbollah. Honestly, I think they would do this job in a much better way."
Praising the Syrian President, Trump expressed his trust in him. He said, "He is very capable and he has been very good for me. Whatever I have asked of him, he has protected all of those things... and if Israel cannot do this without killing everyone else, then they will do this job. Syria will get this job done."
