Israel had launched strikes on the capital Damascus and the southern Druze-majority city of Sweida, saying it aimed to put pressure on the Syrian government to withdraw its troops from the region amid ongoing clashes there.
Trump "was caught off guard by the bombing in Syria and also the bombing of a Catholic church in Gaza," Leavitt told reporters at a press briefing.
"In both accounts, the president quickly called the prime minister to rectify those situations," she continued.
Netanyahu had visited the White House earlier this month, his third trip since Trump returned to power on January 20.
"The president enjoys a good working relationship with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, and stays in, you know, frequent communication with him," Leavitt said.
"When it came to Syria, we saw a de-escalation there."
Israel and Syria on Friday entered a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Also on Friday, PM Netanyahu called Pope Leo to express regret at the strike on the Catholic church in Gaza, blaming a "stray missile."
In May, Trump met with Syria's president Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia shortly after lifting many longstanding U.S. sanctions against Damascus.
Trump later praised the leader, who led a major armed group that was once aligned with Al Qaeda and toppled the Syrian government in December.
The United States removed a bounty on Sharaa's head after he came to power.
US officials alarmed
Several U.S. officials have expressed growing frustration with Netanyahu’s recent actions in Syria, calling his decisions reckless and politically damaging, according to the U.S. media.
“The United States was not asked, nor did they participate in that decision, nor was it the United States' responsibility in matters that Israel feels is for its own self-defense,” said U.S. special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, speaking to the Associated Press on July 21.
Barrack said that “Israel’s intervention creates another very confusing chapter” and “came at a very bad time.”
U.S. frustration intensified when Israel disregarded a direct diplomatic request to de-escalate. According to the Axios news outlet, Barrack asked Israel to pause its operations in Syria to make room for diplomacy — and Israel initially agreed. However, a day later, Israeli forces carried out extensive strikes, targeting military headquarters and areas near the presidential palace in Damascus.
Israel claimed it was acting in defense of the Druze population, which has historic and social ties to Israel, with many Druze citizens serving in the Israeli military. Still, several regional and American figures voiced objections.
Both Barrack and U.S. special envoy for Middle East, Steve Witkoff, expressed their concerns to the White House, the sources said.
“The bombing in Syria caught the president and the White House by surprise,” a senior U.S. official told Axios.
“The president doesn’t like turning on the television and seeing bombs dropped in a country he is seeking peace in and made a monumental announcement to help rebuild.”
Another official pointed to Netanyahu’s domestic political motivations:
“Bibi’s political agenda is driving his senses. It will turn out to be a big mistake for him long-term.”
“Bibi acted like a madman. He bombs everything all the time,” another White House official told Axios.
“This could undermine what Trump is trying to do.”
Another official reacted bluntly to a recent Israeli tank strike on a Catholic church in Gaza, which killed three civilians.
“The feeling is that every day there is something new. What the f*ck?”
Source: HDN
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