Ankara / Anadolu

The American news site Axios reported that US President Donald Trump asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a phone call, to reduce the Israeli military presence in Syria and also to begin withdrawal from Lebanon.

These developments come amid ongoing US efforts to reach new security arrangements between Israel and its neighbors.

According to the site's report, which cited US and Israeli officials, Trump told Netanyahu during a call on July 9 that the presence of the Israeli army in Syria is causing tension and could increase the likelihood of confrontations.

The site quoted the officials as saying that Trump told Netanyahu, 'They don't want you there. You should redeploy your forces,' noting that he expressed the same opinion regarding the Israeli presence in Lebanon.

The officials explained that the Trump administration has been making efforts for months to reach a new security agreement between Israel and Syria, but Israel does not appear ready to make the required concessions to reach such an agreement.

In a related context, delegations from Israel and Lebanon held meetings at the US Embassy in the Italian capital Rome, coinciding with the launch of the sixth round of direct negotiations between the two countries on Tuesday, under US auspices.

Israel continues its aggression against Lebanon, which began on March 2, 2026, and has resulted in the deaths of 4,324 people and injuries to 12,223 others, in addition to the displacement of more than one million people, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades, and others since the previous war between 2023 and 2024, and has also advanced more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory during the current aggression.

In addition to its occupation of Lebanese territory, Israel has controlled the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967, and has increased its incursions into Syrian territory following the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, declaring the collapse of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and taking control of the Syrian buffer zone.

Israel has controlled the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967, and recently advanced into Syrian territory after the overthrow of the Assad regime. It also occupies areas in southern Lebanon for decades, and continues its current aggression, which has resulted in significant human losses. These moves indicate the complexity of the regional landscape and the potential impact on the course of ongoing negotiations.