Trump urges Netanyahu to pull troops from 2 fronts in phone call

Trump pressed Benjamin Netanyahu to begin withdrawing Israeli forces from southern Syria and Lebanon during a phone call last week, injecting direct US pressure into a region where Israel's military footprint has expanded since late 2024.

US President Donald Trump told the Israeli prime minister on the July 9 call that Israel's military presence in Syrian territory risked escalation, according to American and Israeli officials cited by Axios and Channel 12. "They don't want you there. You should redeploy," Trump said, adding that the same logic applied to Lebanon.

The call came one day after Trump met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey, and as Israeli and Lebanese delegations gathered in Rome on Tuesday for the sixth round of US-brokered talks. Those negotiations, focused on implementing a framework agreement signed June 26 in Washington, center on a pilot program for the Lebanese Armed Forces to take control of two designated zones in southern Lebanon as the IDF withdraws.

For Netanyahu, the US pressure arrives at a politically precarious moment. Israel's next general election is three months away, and his governing coalition includes hardline members who advocate permanent Israeli control over captured territory — some even pushing for Jewish settlements in southern Lebanon and Syria. The prime minister's office said he stressed "the need for security zones along Israel's borders" during the call, signaling limited room for compromise.

Pilot zones stall as Lebanon demands immediate action

The framework agreement signed last month envisioned a phased withdrawal: Israeli forces would leave two pilot zones, the Lebanese army would deploy alongside US monitors to ensure Hezbollah's disarmament, and further withdrawals would follow. But two and a half weeks after the deal, not a single Israeli soldier has pulled out.

Lebanon's presidency instructed its Rome delegation to "demand the immediate start of Israeli forces' withdrawal from the two pilot zones before any further discussion," according to a statement Monday. President Joseph Aoun, who is scheduled to visit Washington on July 21 for his first face-to-face meeting with Trump, said he hoped the Rome round would yield "tangible and practical steps on the ground."

Israel has added conditions that threaten to slow the process further. According to Israeli media, Jerusalem is demanding US oversight of Lebanese military units deployed to the pilot zones, including vetting soldiers for Hezbollah links. Israel also wants proof that the Lebanese army can locate weapons, destroy tunnels, and prevent Hezbollah fighters from returning before agreeing to additional withdrawals. A senior Israeli official told Channel 12 that "as long as the first pilot doesn't prove itself, there will be no further withdrawals."

Regional escalation complicates the diplomatic track

The Lebanon talks are unfolding against a backdrop of renewed US-Iran hostilities that threaten to unravel the broader regional ceasefire. Iran demanded an end to the war in Lebanon as part of its interim deal with Washington signed June 17, but that agreement has been strained over the past week by US strikes on Iranian targets and Tehran's retaliatory attacks across the Middle East.

Hezbollah has publicly rejected the framework agreement and efforts to disarm it, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said last week that forces would remain in southern Lebanon "for as long as necessary." Israel's military occupies a buffer zone roughly 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory, which it says is needed to protect northern communities from Hezbollah attacks. More than 4,300 people have been killed in Lebanon since the conflict escalated in early March, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The last time Washington directly intervened to restrain Israeli military operations in the region was during the 2006 Lebanon war, when the Bush administration pushed for UN Security Council Resolution 1701. That resolution, which called for Hezbollah's disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal, was never fully implemented — a precedent that hangs over the current talks.

For markets, the standoff adds a fresh layer of uncertainty to an already volatile region. Brent crude has remained elevated as the US-Iran confrontation in the Gulf escalates, with the Strait of Hormuz — through which about 21% of global oil supply transits — emerging as a flashpoint. Any further deterioration in Lebanon or Syria could push oil prices higher while boosting demand for safe-haven assets such as gold and the US dollar. Israeli-linked equities and shekel-denominated bonds face headwinds as investors price in prolonged military engagement and the risk of a diplomatic rift with Washington.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.