Trump to Netanyahu: “Without the United States, Israel would not exist”

Donald Trump launched a new warning to Benjamin Netanyahu amid tensions over Lebanon and Iran. The U.S. president stated that Israel must act with greater responsibility and reiterated a phrase he has repeated before: “without the United States, Israel would not exist.”

The statement comes at a delicate moment for the Middle East. Trump spoke from France before meeting with G7 leaders and linked regional stability to compliance with the interim agreement to stop the war with Iran. He also criticized Israeli bombardments in Lebanon.

The message was direct. Trump said Israel would have been bombed long ago if he had not gotten involved. He also expressed that the parallel war with Hezbollah could damage the peace process with Iran, according to a report from The Independent.

What did Trump say about Israel and Lebanon?

Trump pointed out that Israel has been fighting Hezbollah for too long. He also stated that too many people are dying in that offensive. His criticism focused on the use of broad attacks on residential buildings and the human cost of the conflict.

“Israel would have been bombed long ago if I had not gotten involved,” the president said. He then insisted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must be more responsible regarding Lebanon. The phrase raised the tone of a relationship that usually appears close, but now exhibits tensions.

The president also suggested that Israel does not need to destroy an apartment building every time it targets an objective. According to Trump, such attacks leave victims who do not belong to Hezbollah. His comment points to the civilian impact of the war.

Trump even said that Hezbollah should be left to someone more capable. Along those lines, he suggested that Syria could better handle the armed group. The proposal was surprising because it introduces a third actor into an already very complex dispute.

The White House had not issued, up to that point, a statement expanding on Trump’s position. However, his words reinforce a known strategy: publicly pressuring allies and adversaries to force rapid political results.

Why did the Iran agreement end up at the center?

Trump’s warning came as Iran accused Israel of violating the interim agreement that sought to end the war. Tehran maintains that Israeli attacks in Lebanon contradict the spirit of the agreement announced on Sunday. For Iran, the ceasefire cannot be sustained with continuous offensives.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Israel and the United States are on the same side. He also stated that the war has not ended completely as long as