"Bibi sees ghosts everywhere": U.S. alarmed by Israel's Syria strikes
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Netanyahu at the U.S. Capitol in July. Photo: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty
The Trump administration is concerned that Israel's repeated strikes inside Syria risk destabilizing the country and undermining hopes of an Israel-Syria security agreement, two senior U.S. officials tell Axios.
- "We are trying to tell Bibi he has to stop this because if it continues he will self-destruct," one of those officials said, referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by his nickname.
The big picture: Supporting President Ahmed al-Sharaa's efforts to stabilize Syria and encouraging him to engage in a peace process with Israel are key elements of the Trump administration's Middle East strategy.
- President Trump and his team have repeatedly sided with Syria's government in disputes with Israel— the only country in the region for which that's the case.
- On Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social in support of al-Sharaa and said it was "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 U.S. officials made clear they think Netanyahu is interfering in very unhelpful ways. He has ordered military action across the border in Syria on several occasions, including in the past few days.
Driving the news: Israeli forces conducting a raid less than 10 miles into Syrian territory on Friday came under fire from unknown gunmen after arresting suspected militants, with six Israeli soldiers injured, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
- While trying to extract its forces, the IDF unleashed airstrikes that killed 13 Syrians, many of them civilians.
- The raid and airstrikes — which took place beyond the portion of Syrian territory Israel has been occupying since the fall of the Assad regime — enraged the Syrian government and generated calls from inside Syria for retaliation.
- "The Syrians were going nuts. Their own constituents demanded retaliation because Syrian civilians were killed," a U.S. official said.
Behind the scenes: The U.S. officials told Axios the White House did not receive prior notice of the Israeli operation, and that the Israelis didn't warn Syria through military channels as they have in past cases.
- Israeli officials claimed the suspects were were part of a group affiliated with Hamas and Hezbollah and had planned attacks against Israel, and that Israel informed the Syrians through intelligence channels.
Friction point: U.S. officials working on Middle East issues have fumed for months at what they see as Netanyahu's shoot first, ask questions later approach to Syria.
- "Syria doesn't want problems with Israel. This isn't Lebanon," a senior U.S. official said, drawing a distinction between Israel's recent strikes in the two countries. "But Bibi is seeing ghosts everywhere."
- "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 to an enemy," the official continued.
- This isn't the first time such sentiments have bubbled up. After Israel's brazen strikes on Damascus in June, a White House official told Axios: "Bibi acted like a madman. He bombs everything all the time. This could undermine what Trump is trying to do."
The other side: Trump's embrace of al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander, has worried the Israelis.
- They were shocked when Trump met the rebel-turned-president last May in Saudi Arabia, and uncomfortable with the chumminess between the two during their historic Oval Office meeting this month.
- The Israelis also objected to Trump's decision to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria.
- While the Israelis have engaged with U.S. efforts to advance an Israel-Syria security pact, they've done so warily and presented maximalist demands.
State of play: Two U.S. officials told Axios that Netanyahu's actions had now partially undermined work on a deal, which Washington hopes will be the first step to Syria joining the Abraham Accords at a later date.
- Since Friday, U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack and other Trump administration officials have held tense conversations with their Israeli counterparts on that topic.
- U.S. officials held similar talks to try to calm down the Syrians and avoid further escalation. On Monday, Barrack met al-Sharaa in Damascus.
- The U.S. officials said it's not clear who holds the Syria file in Israel's government after the resignation of Netanyahu's confidant Ron Dermer.
The latest: On Monday, Trump weighed in publicly with the Truth Social post praising al-Sharaa and cautioning Israel.
- Trump spoke with Netanyahu shortly after the post, though the Israeli readout said Trump had invited Netanyahu to D.C. and didn't mention Syria.
