President backs Iran deal but pressures Netanyahu over Lebanon as Israel confronts Hezbollah terror threat.
US President Donald Trump sharply criticized Israel’s ongoing campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon during a meeting with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the G7 Summit.
Trump described the Hezbollah front as a smaller conflict compared to the larger Iran negotiations, calling Hezbollah a recurring threat that continues to destabilize the region. However, he argued that Israel’s war against the terror group has gone on too long and said too many civilians are being killed in the process.
The President criticized Israeli strikes on apartment buildings, saying Israel does not need to destroy entire structures while targeting individual Hezbollah operatives. He suggested that Syria, under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, could play a stronger role in confronting Hezbollah, claiming al-Sharaa dislikes the terror group and may be better positioned to deal with it.
Trump praised al-Sharaa’s stance against Hezbollah and said Syria should be allowed to take greater responsibility if Israel cannot eliminate the threat without broader destruction.
At the same time, Trump defended his emerging deal with Iran, stressing that the United States has no obligation to invest money in Tehran but may reserve that option in the future. He said the only issue that matters is ensuring Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon.
Trump declared that the agreement makes clear Iran cannot develop, purchase, or pursue nuclear arms, warning that any violation would bring devastating consequences. He said that if Iran had acquired nuclear weapons, it could have threatened Israel, the Middle East, and even the United States.
The President also said he does not believe in forced regime change, arguing that such efforts often fail. He claimed the current Iranian leadership is more rational than previous figures and said Washington has discussed internal repression with Tehran.
Asked about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump denied frustration and described their relationship as strong. Still, he criticized Israel’s recent Beirut strike as excessive and said Netanyahu must act more responsibly regarding Lebanon.
Trump ended by emphasizing his support for Israel, claiming that no other US president would have taken the steps he did to protect the Jewish state. Yet his remarks also made clear that Washington is now pressing Israel to balance security operations against Hezbollah with broader regional diplomacy.
