US President Donald Trump has suggested he could step in to address differences with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the Israeli leader reaffirmed that troops would remain in southern Lebanon despite ongoing diplomatic efforts involving Washington and Tehran.
The remarks point to emerging strains between the United States and Israel over developments in Lebanon, where efforts to reduce hostilities have coincided with negotiations linked to a recent understanding between the US and Iran.
Asked by reporters how he would prevent Netanyahu from undermining negotiations connected to a 14-point memorandum of understanding, Trump declined to reveal any specific plan but expressed confidence that the matter could be handled quickly.
“I’m not going to tell you what I’m going to do, but it gets solved. I’m a problem solver. I get problems solved real fast, including with Bibi,” Trump said, referring to the Israeli prime minister by his nickname.
Netanyahu rejects withdrawal from southern Lebanon
Trump’s comments followed Netanyahu’s address at the Jerusalem News Syndicate’s International Policy Summit 2026, where the Israeli leader said the Israel Defense Forces would continue operating in the security zone in southern Lebanon.
His remarks came despite discussions in Switzerland that resulted in an agreement to establish a “de-confliction zone” aimed at reducing violence in Lebanon.
“No matter what happens in the talks, with an agreement, without an agreement, I pledge to you that Iran, as long as I’m Prime Minister, will never have a nuclear weapon. Never. As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel, I will not let that happen. As long as we need to protect our people, we will remain in the security zone in South Lebanon. No country would be asked to do otherwise,” Netanyahu said.
Israeli PM draws comparison with US security response
Defending Israel’s military posture, Netanyahu argued that any country facing persistent attacks would take similar action.
“Now, imagine the United States across the border. You have thousands, an army of thousands of terrorists who pellet your cities and your towns with rockets, ballistic missiles and killer drones. They kill your soldiers, they kill your citizens, they kill your children, and they threaten them every day. Well, what would America do? Would it say, well, there’s nothing we can do. Let’s hold our fire. Is that what America would say? No. You know well what America would do. It would cross the border, create a security zone, kill the terrorists and protect its people until the threat is removed. That’s exactly what we are doing,” he said.
Differences emerge between Washington and Jerusalem
Netanyahu also pushed back against suggestions that either he or Trump takes instructions from the other, following recent comments from the US president that implied Israel was acting in line with his direction in West Asia.
The exchange comes amid growing disagreements between Washington and Jerusalem over Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon. Trump has warned that continued operations could put at risk the memorandum of understanding reached with Iran after a series of diplomatic engagements last week.