As smoke and debris filled the skies over Damascus, voices within the White House grew louder, expressing concern over what they perceived as reckless actions by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A White House official told Axios, "'Bibi' (Netanyahu's nickname) is acting like a maniac, bombing all over the place. This could undermine President Trump's efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region." Another US official pointed to the incident of a church bombing in Gaza last week, which prompted Trump to call Netanyahu personally to demand an explanation. The official expressed his strong disapproval, saying, "It seems like there's a new problem every day! What the f***?"
A third official confirms that there is growing concern within the Trump administration about Netanyahu's actions, considering him "reckless and a troublemaker," and sometimes "like a disobedient child." Netanyahu's spokesman, Ziv Agmon, did not respond to a request for comment.
Six US officials told Axios that concern within the White House about Netanyahu and his regional policies had increased significantly at the end of last week, although the ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States had stopped the escalation of the conflict in Syria on Friday.
But so far, Trump has not publicly criticized Netanyahu, and it is unclear whether he shares his advisors' concerns, or whether he agrees with their recent assessments of Israeli operations in Syria. Analysts suggest that this public silence may reflect Trump's strategy in dealing with sensitive issues, or perhaps reflect differing views within his administration.
Last Tuesday, Israel bombed a convoy of tanks belonging to the Syrian army that was heading to the city of Sweida. According to data from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, violent clashes between Druze militias and armed Bedouin tribes have resulted in the death of more than 700 people until last Saturday.
Israel claims that the convoy entered the southern region of Syria that it demands be made a demilitarized zone, and that the Syrian army is involved in attacks on the Druze minority (which Syria denies). According to a US official, US envoy Tom Barrack asked his Israeli counterparts last Tuesday to cease fire in an effort to find a diplomatic solution, and Israel pledged to comply.
However, after a brief ceasefire, Israel escalated its attacks. Last Wednesday, Israel bombed the headquarters of the Syrian army and areas near the presidential palace.
A US official said, "The bombing in Syria took the President and the White House by surprise. The President does not like to see on TV that the country he is trying to make peace with and announces huge investments to rebuild it, is being bombed."
At the same time, countries such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia have expressed to the Trump government their dissatisfaction with Israeli operations, and many senior US officials have complained directly to Trump about Netanyahu. These officials include Barrack and White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff - both of whom are close to Trump.
The White House generally believes that Netanyahu's bombing of Syria came as a result of pressure from the Druze minority in Israel and other political considerations. One of the challenges facing the region is the ability to achieve stability in the face of multiple external interventions and complex internal influences.
A US official said, "'Bibi' is blinded by the political agenda, and this will be a big mistake in the long term." Another US official said that Israel's image in the White House has been damaged over the past week, but they seem unaware of that. The official concluded, "The Israelis need to wake up."
This tension in Israeli-Syrian relations comes just days after Netanyahu's visit to Washington - during which he met with Trump twice, and in light of the repercussions of the war on Iran, their relationship seemed to be at its best.
In addition to Syria and the church incident in Gaza, the killing of Palestinian American Saif Musallet by Israeli settlers has sparked opposition within the Trump administration to Netanyahu's pro-settler government.
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador who visited Netanyahu's corruption trial days ago to show his support, criticized the aforementioned attacks and described them as "terrorism" and demanded a thorough investigation. He also visited a Christian community in the West Bank last Saturday that was attacked by settlers.
Huckabee, who has been a strong supporter of Israel for a long time, also criticized the Israeli government for putting obstacles in the way of American evangelical believers obtaining tourist visas.
The instability in Syria is a major concern for the Trump administration. Rubio tweeted on the X platform on Saturday that the Damascus regime needs help to achieve peace and stop the killing.
But a senior US official said that Israel has no right to determine whether the Syrian government can exercise sovereignty over its citizens and its territory. The official said, "Current Israeli policy will lead to the destabilization of Syria, and the Druze communities and Israel will be harmed as a result."
For Israel, the United States' opposition to its operations in Syria was surprising. A senior Israeli official said that Trump encouraged Netanyahu at the beginning of his term to take control of parts of Syria, and had not previously expressed concern about Israel's intervention in Syria.
The official stressed that Israel only intervened after intelligence showed that the Syrian government was involved in attacks on the Druze, denying any internal political considerations. The official added: "The United States wants the new Syrian government to be stable, and does not understand why we are taking action in Syria because of attacks on the Druze community. We are trying to explain that this is a commitment to the Israeli Druze community."
This is not the first time that Netanyahu has tested Trump's patience. He once bet that Trump would eventually support his attack on Iran, and he succeeded in that. Although Trump had hoped to end the Gaza war, he continued it for months.
In Syria, he is betting again that he is able to escalate operations significantly without undermining regional stability or harming his relationship with Trump. Political leaders on all sides must prioritize diplomacy and cooperation to de-escalate tensions and prevent further escalation.
In recent months, Trump's aides have increasingly realized the influence of the far-right extremist Jewish forces in Netanyahu's coalition government on politics, which has become increasingly clear in the "Make America Great Again" movement.
US officials interviewed by Axios warned that Netanyahu's luck, as well as Trump's kindness, may soon run out.
Risk Warning and Disclaimer: This article represents only the author’s views and is for reference only. It does not constitute investment advice or financial guidance, nor does it represent the stance of the Markets.com platform. Trading Contracts for Difference (CFDs) involves high leverage and significant risks. Before making any trading decisions, we recommend consulting a professional financial advisor to assess your financial situation and risk tolerance. Any trading decisions based on this article are at your own risk.
