Trump suggests Syria is better fit to handle Hezbollah in tense warning to Benjamin Netanyahu

WorldPolitics
16 Jun 2026 • 10:10 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Trump suggests Syria is better fit to handle Hezbollah in tense warning to Benjamin Netanyahu

  • Donald Trump issued a new warning to Benjamin Netanyahu, criticizing Israel's military campaign in Lebanon and suggesting it could derail the peace process with Iran.
  • Trump stated that Israel has been fighting Hezbollah for too long, causing too many casualties, and that their methods are inefficient, negatively impacting the "big deal" with Iran.
  • He controversially suggested that Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa would be more capable of handling Hezbollah, stating Syria "will do the job" if Israel cannot.
  • Iran warned that continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon would breach the interim agreement to end the war, with its foreign minister asserting that the war is not over without Israeli withdrawal.
  • Senior Israeli officials reportedly view the peace agreement as "terrible for Israel," putting Netanyahu in a difficult position given public opinion polls.

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