U.S. President Donald Trump said Israel's military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon has gone on too long and killed too many civilians [1, 2].
The comments mark a public shift in tone regarding the conflict, as the president urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be more responsible to avoid further loss of life [1].
Speaking during the G7 summit in France this week, Trump said that the prolonged fighting has resulted in excessive casualties [1, 2]. He questioned the tactics used by the Israeli military during the operation [1].
"Israel has been fighting Hezbollah for too long, and too many people are being killed," Trump said [1]. "You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody" [1].
Trump said that the burden of combating the militant group should shift to other regional actors [3]. He said that Israel's war on Hezbollah is too long and too deadly, adding that Syria should fight the group instead [3].
The president's remarks come amid ongoing international pressure to limit the scale of the conflict, and protect non-combatants in Lebanon [1, 2]. By calling for more responsibility, Trump said that the current trajectory of the military engagement is unsustainable [1].
“"Israel has been fighting Hezbollah for too long, and too many people are being killed."”
These statements suggest a growing tension between the U.S. executive branch and the Israeli government over the conduct of the war in Lebanon. By publicly criticizing the duration of the conflict and the resulting civilian casualties, the president is signaling that continued U.S. support may be contingent on a more restrained military approach and a faster path toward a resolution.
