US President Donald Trump issued a pointed warning to Israel yesterday, urging the country to avoid actions that could destabilize Syria’s fragile new leadership. His message came just days after a deadly Israeli operation killed 13 people in the southern village of Beit Jin, escalating tensions in a region struggling to rebuild.
According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, Trump delivered the caution during a phone call, during which he also extended an invitation for Netanyahu to visit the White House again.
In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump emphasized the need for restraint and cooperation.
“It is very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria, and that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria’s evolution into a prosperous State,” he said.
For more than a year, Trump has been pushing for a security pact between Israel and Syria, following the rise of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose Islamist coalition took power after overthrowing Bashar al-Assad.
But efforts toward peace have faced setbacks. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria, targeting what it says are militant threats. The recent Beit Jin operation, the deadliest yet, has further strained relations. Syria condemned it as a “war crime,” while Israel maintained it had struck an Islamist group.
Despite the tensions, Trump praised Syria’s progress under Sharaa, who visited the White House weeks earlier.
He said the Syrian leader was “working diligently to make sure good things happen, and that both Syria and Israel will have a long and prosperous relationship together.”
Trump stressed that Washington is doing everything possible to support Syria’s efforts to rebuild after years of war.
Looking ahead, the US president believes stronger ties between Syria and Israel would bolster broader Middle East peace efforts, especially after the fragile Gaza ceasefire reached in October. His administration has already lifted sanctions on Syria to support Sharaa’s government, which Washington says is now aiding global efforts against ISIS.
Netanyahu’s office confirmed that both leaders discussed expanding regional peace agreements during their conversation.
“Trump has invited Prime Minister Netanyahu to a meeting at the White House in the near future,” the statement read.
The Israeli leader has visited Trump more than any other foreign head of government since Trump’s return to office — a sign of deep political alignment, but also a reflection of the region’s many unresolved conflicts.
During the call, both leaders reiterated the need to disarm Hamas and demilitarize Gaza. Israel continues to justify its strikes on militant groups across the region, despite recent ceasefires with Hamas and Hezbollah.
The Israeli military claimed the Beit Jin operation targeted fighters from Jamaa Islamiya, an Islamist organization allied with Hamas and based in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s visit to troops stationed in the long-standing buffer zone on the Golan Heights triggered renewed criticism from Damascus and other regional actors, who saw the move as provocative.
