US official: Netanyahu ‘self-destructing’ by approving Syria raids

Trump urged Israel to maintain “strong and true dialogue” with the new Syrian government, headed by a former Islamic terrorist.

By World Israel News Staff

President Donald Trump and senior members of his administration are increasingly frustrated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s authorization of military activity inside Syria, accusing the Israeli leader of being overly concerned about threats emanating from Israel’s northern neighbor.

Speaking to Axios, a senior U.S. official claimed that Syria currently has no interest in escalating tensions with Israel.

“Syria doesn’t want problems with Israel. This isn’t Lebanon. But Bibi is seeing ghosts everywhere,” the official told the outlet, using Netanyahu’s nickname.

“We are trying to tell Bibi he has to stop this because if it continues, he will self-destruct — miss a huge diplomatic opportunity and turn the new Syrian government into an enemy,” the official added.

The dispute comes after a recent Israeli ground raid on Syrian soil sparked outrage among Syrians, who are now pressuring their government to retaliate. Israeli officials said the operation targeted Hezbollah and Hamas operatives operating in Syria who were planning imminent attacks on Israel.

During the raid, six Israeli soldiers were shot and wounded, and 13 Syria-based terrorists were killed. As Israeli ground forces attempted to withdraw, the IDF launched limited airstrikes to facilitate their extraction— strikes that further infuriated Syrians.

“The Syrians were going nuts. Their own constituents demanded retaliation because Syrian civilians were killed,” another U.S. official said.

The tensions unfold as Trump embraces interim Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa. Known by his nom de guerre Mohammed al-Julani. Al-Sharaa was once the head of an al-Qaeda-linked Islamic terror group but has recently gained acceptance from Western governments and other international leaders.

In a Monday post on his Truth Social account, Trump emphasized that 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.”

The Trump administration recently moved to lift economic sanctions on Syria—a decision Israel strongly opposed.