President Donald Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week to begin withdrawing Israeli forces from southern Syria and Lebanon, warning that the continued military presence was fuelling instability. According to US and Israeli officials cited by Axios, Trump told Netanyahu that Syria “doesn’t want you there” and that troops should redeploy to the border. The call took place a day after Trump met Syrian transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Turkey, and the same message was conveyed regarding Israel’s deployment in southern Lebanon.

Viewed from Washington, the request forms part of a months-long effort by the Trump administration to broker a new security arrangement between Israel and Syria. US officials quoted in the report said Washington had sought a gradual withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces from Syrian territory occupied after the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, however, stated that Netanyahu “raised the need for security zones along Israel’s borders,” resisting the demand. Israeli officials maintain that the deployments are necessary to prevent a repeat of the 7 October 2023 attack, and some senior figures favour long-term control over parts of southern Syria and southern Lebanon, with calls for settlement activity in those areas.

In Lebanon, American mediators met Israeli and Lebanese delegations in Rome on Tuesday to discuss implementation of a framework agreement under which Israel committed to withdraw from two pilot zones in the south and allow the Lebanese army to deploy. Lebanese diplomatic sources say the armed forces are ready to assume responsibilities gradually, but demand a clear timetable for further Israeli withdrawals. Israeli officials, for their part, condition any redeployment on verification that the zones are free of Hezbollah weapons and military infrastructure, while Lebanese officials argue that the US military should conduct that assessment. The talks were described by one US official as positive, with both sides seeking to advance the process.

The diplomatic push comes amid rising friction in southern Syria, where residents have protested the Israeli presence and clashed with troops. The issue also carries domestic political weight for Netanyahu, with Israeli elections due in roughly three months. The broader regional context includes a newly reimposed US blockade on Iranian ports following attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. As of now, no Israeli withdrawal has begun from either Syria or the two Lebanese pilot zones, and the dossier remains the subject of active but unresolved American-led mediation.