Netanyahu testing US patience with Syria strikes; Trump advisers blast him as ‘acting like a madman'
Trump
's inner circle, with several US officials reportedly frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu
's aggressive military approach in the region. Israel launched airstrikes on a Syrian military convoy headed to Suwayda on Tuesday, July 16. The Israeli government claimed the convoy entered a demilitarized zone and was involved in attacks against the
Druze
community.
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The strike claimed the lives of at least three people and injured 34 others.
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Syria has denied the allegations. The conflict between Druze militias and armed Bedouin groups in the area has reportedly claimed over 700 lives, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The US had brokered a ceasefire to halt the escalation. However, after a brief pause, Israel resumed strikes on Wednesday, July 17, hitting Syria's military headquarters and areas near the presidential palace in Damascus.
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Multiple US officials told Axios that the airstrikes caught the Trump administration off guard.
One
White House
official said Netanyahu 'acted like a madman' and warned the strikes could undermine US efforts to stabilise the region. Another official added, 'Every day there is something new. What the f***?'
Another US official described him as a leader with a 'trigger finger too itchy,' while another warned that Israel is damaging its standing with the US.
Officials accused Netanyahu of escalating tensions for political gain, particularly to appease Israel's Druze community.
For context, in Israel, approximately 150,000 Druze live as citizens who are highly integrated and serve loyally in the Israeli military and security forces.
The Israeli Druze community supports the Israeli state and has political influence in Israel. Israel has portrayed itself as the protector of the Syrian Druze minority.
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, tensions with the new Islamist-led regime have risen in southern Syria, leading to conflict.
Some Druze leaders seek dialogue with Damascus, while others resist and appeal for outside support, including from Israel.
Trump advisers urge restraint
US envoy Tom Barrack reportedly asked Israeli officials to stand down earlier in the week. While Israel initially agreed, the strikes resumed the next day.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also urged Netanyahu to stop the attacks, which he eventually decided to do on the condition that Syrian forces withdraw from Suwayda.
Despite the ceasefire, several countries, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, reportedly criticized Israel's actions and conveyed their concerns to the Trump administration.
Is Netanyahu frustrated over Gaza?
This tension with Syria occurred after Netanyahu visited Washington, D.C., and met Trump twice. Despite the warm optics, internal frustrations may be growing.
The Trump administration is also reportedly upset over an Israeli strike that damaged a church in Gaza, and over the recent killing of a Palestinian-American, Saif Musallet, allegedly by Israeli settlers.
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, a strong supporter of Israel, called the settler attack 'terrorism' and demanded answers.
He also criticized the Israeli government for complicating travel visa processes for American evangelicals.
Israeli officials defend actions
However, Israeli officials are defending these attacks. An unnamed Israeli official said Netanyahu had been encouraged by Trump in the past to take strong actions in Syria.
The official insisted that the latest strikes were solely based on intelligence and not influenced by domestic political pressures.
"The US wants to keep the new Syrian government stable and doesn't understand why we attack in Syria, because of attacks on the Druze community there. We tried to explain to them that this is our commitment to the Druze community in Israel," the senior Israeli official said.
Will Netanyahu lose US support?
US officials are worried that Israel's policy in Syria could destabilize the region further. 'The current Israeli policy would lead to an unstable Syria,' one senior US official said, warning that both Israel and the Druze community could suffer the consequences.
This is not the first time Netanyahu's actions have tested Trump's patience. He has previously escalated in Gaza and Iran despite Trump's calls for restraint.
US aides are also uneasy about the influence of far-right members within Netanyahu's governing coalition, a concern now shared by parts of the broader conservative movement in the US.
While Trump himself has avoided publicly criticizing Netanyahu, his advisers are growing increasingly frustrated with the Israeli leader's approach.
According to officials, Netanyahu is taking significant political risks that could eventually cost US support.
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