US President Donald Trump’s administration is growing increasingly alarmed about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions in Syria, amid concerns that his aggressive tactics are undermining US efforts to broker a peace deal in the region.
Netanyahu’s latest strikes, which included shelling a church in Gaza and bombing a convoy of Syrian army tanks, have caught the White House by surprise. The US has since called on Israel to halt its strikes and engage in direct talks with the Syrian government.
Despite a US-brokered ceasefire that halted this week’s escalation in Syria, tensions over Netanyahu’s actions are escalating. US officials say that Netanyahu’s trigger finger is too itchy, and his policies are driving a wedge between the two countries.
The Trump administration has asked Israel to stand down and allow for a diplomatic resolution, but Netanyahu has refused, citing intelligence that suggests the Syrian government was involved in attacks against the Druze minority.
The US concerns about Netanyahu’s actions in Syria are not new. The Israeli prime minister has tested Trump’s patience on several occasions, including by backing far-right Jewish supremacist elements in his coalition.
As the situation continues to unfold, US officials warn that Netanyahu’s luck and Trump’s goodwill could run out if tensions do not ease soon.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/07/20/israel-syria-strikes-trump-netanyahu-divide