President Donald Trump delivered his sharpest public criticism yet of Israel’s handling of its conflict with Hezbollah on Tuesday at a G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. Speaking to reporters, Trump insisted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon.”
The president warned that renewed fighting risks undermining the administration’s emerging peace agreement with Iran. “Without the United States, there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel,” Trump stated.
Trump’s comments followed Israeli airstrikes in a Beirut suburb over the weekend targeting what the Israeli military described as a Hezbollah command center. The operation occurred hours before U.S. and Iranian officials finalized a preliminary agreement to end months of regional conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz—a vital global shipping route.
Trump expressed displeasure with the timing: “I didn’t like where two hours before we’re signing the agreement that there was an attack in Lebanon, in Beirut,” he said, describing the strike as “vicious” and “too much.”
The president maintained a strong relationship with Netanyahu and steadfast support for Israel’s security. “We’ve had a very effective relationship,” Trump added, noting that Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah has dragged on too long, resulting in “too many people being killed.”
Trump has touted the U.S.-Iran framework as a major diplomatic victory guaranteeing Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon while reopening the Strait of Hormuz without tolls or restrictions. Vice President JD Vance described the memorandum of understanding as a short, preliminary document with broader negotiations still ahead.
The agreement faces skepticism from some Israeli officials. Netanyahu declared on Monday that Israel would continue maintaining security zones in Lebanon and neighboring areas regardless of the U.S.-Iran accord: “The struggle has not ended,” he vowed, pledging to keep forces deployed as long necessary for national protection.
Trump suggested continued Israeli military operations against Hezbollah could complicate efforts to secure lasting peace. He even proposed that Syria’s government might better confront Iranian-backed groups: “I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah,” Trump said. “I think they would do a better job.”
Despite tensions over Lebanon, Trump expressed confidence the Iran agreement remains on track. A formal signing ceremony is scheduled for later this week in Geneva, where administration officials hope to begin a broader process aimed at stabilizing the Middle East, securing global energy supplies, and preventing Iran from ever becoming a nuclear power.
