Tipsheet

President Trump Unloads on Israel As the Iran Deal Sparks New Tensions

Dmitri Bolt
Dmitri Bolt  |  June 16, 2026 11:00 AM

President Trump publicly criticized Israel at the G7 summit, Tuesday, condemning its strikes in Lebanon shortly before the latest deal with Iran was finalized. He also suggested that he might prefer Syria to "take care of Hezbollah" rather than relying on the Israeli Defense Force. 

Tensions between Israel and the president have continued to grow, as Israeli officials have signaled opposition to the Iran deal. That friction could complicate the agreement's success, as further Israeli military action could prompt Iran to withdraw from or violate the 60-day memorandum of understanding.

"Israel is fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed," the president said Tuesday. "And you don't have to knock down an apartment house every time you're looking for somebody because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses and they're not all Hezbollah that I can tell you. And I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah because to be honest with you I think they do a better job of doing it."

"And I didn't like Syria, I didn't like where two hours before we're signing the agreement that there was an attack in Lebanon, in Beirut. It wasn't like in the southern side, and you know it was in Beirut. I did not like that, I let them know that. I didn't like it, not at all," Trump continued. "But I think that Syria, he's pulled that country together amazingly quickly. He's very capable and he's been very good for me. He's protected everything that I've asked for, he's done. And if Israel can't do the job without killing everyone else, he'll do the job. Syria will do the job."

This comes as Israeli officials have stated that they will not withdraw their troops from security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, despite the agreement which ended military operations "on all fronts," including in Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based. 

Other officials have been even more explicit, writing on X that "Trump’s agreement does not bind Israel" and that the country "is not subject to the United States." 

So far, details of the agreement itself remain unclear, as virtually all available information has come either from the Trump administration or the Iranian regime. The actual text of the deal has yet to be released, though it is expected to be made public today.