Trump 'caught off guard' by Israeli strikes in Syria, Gaza
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump was reportedly "caught off guard" by Israeli military actions in Syria and Gaza. The White House confirmed that Trump immediately reached out to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address the situation. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said, "President Trump was caught off guard by the bombing in Syria and also the bombing of a Catholic church in Gaza."
Targeted areas
Israel struck Damascus and Sweida last week
The Israeli strikes last week were focused on Syria's capital, Damascus, and the Druze-majority city of Sweida. The attacks were aimed at pressuring Syrian leader Ahmad al-Sharaa's government to withdraw its forces from active conflict zones. The White House noted that Trump's quick intervention helped de-escalate tensions in Syria. A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Syria came into effect on Friday.
Diplomatic ties
Trump's swift action calms tensions
Leavitt emphasized that Trump has a "good working relationship" with Netanyahu and stays in "frequent communication" with him. The US president's swift action was instrumental in calming tensions after the Israeli strikes. In Gaza, a Catholic church was hit during the Israeli campaign, which Netanyahu later attributed to a "stray missile."
Apology issued
Netanyahu reaches out to Pope Leo
On the same day as the ceasefire, Netanyahu reached out to Pope Leo to express regret over the church bombing in Gaza. He attributed it to a "stray missile." The strike on Gaza's sole Catholic church killed three people and injured several more. The pope called for a ceasefire and an end to the war in Gaza, expressing concern over the "dramatic" humanitarian situation, according to a Vatican statement.
Policy change
US dropped bounty on al-Sharaa earlier this year
Earlier this year, Trump met with al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia after lifting long-standing US sanctions on Damascus. This meeting marked a significant shift in US-Syria relations. The US has since dropped a bounty on al-Sharaa, who had previously led an Al Qaeda-affiliated group that overthrew the Syrian government in December.