U.S. President Donald Trump was reportedly “caught off guard” by recent Israeli airstrikes in southern Syria and Gaza, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The strikes, which targeted military positions in the predominantly Druze city of Sweida and the capital Damascus, as well as a church in the Gaza Strip, prompted swift responses from the American president.
Men walk among debris, after powerful airstrikes shook Damascus on Wednesday, targeting the defense ministry, as Israel vowed to destroy Syrian government forces attacking Druze communities in southern Syria and demanded their withdrawal, in Damascus July 16, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Trump Reacts with Urgency
Leavitt told reporters on Monday that President Trump “was caught by surprise when the bombings in Syria occurred.” She added that in both instances—the attacks in Syria and Gaza—Trump immediately called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an attempt to address the developments. “In both cases, he quickly phoned the prime minister to rectify these situations,” Leavitt said.
Despite the unexpected nature of the strikes, the press secretary emphasized that the president maintains “a good working relationship” with Netanyahu and remains in frequent contact with the Israeli leader.
Ceasefire Agreement Reached
Following the Israeli airstrikes, Washington pushed for de-escalation, and a ceasefire between Syria and Israel was declared on Friday evening. The U.S. reportedly played a mediating role in bringing the two sides to the agreement.
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in this handout released on May 14, 2025. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY/File Photo
The bombings came amid rising tensions in southern Syria, particularly in the Druze-majority region of Sweida, where violent clashes between Druze groups and Bedouin communities had recently resulted in heavy casualties. Israeli forces targeted Syrian army units in the area, increasing pressure on local authorities to withdraw their troops.
Earlier this year, on May 14, President Trump met with Syria’s newly appointed transitional president, Ahmed al-Sarrah, in Saudi Arabia. The meeting followed a dramatic lifting of U.S. sanctions on Damascus. Trump praised al-Sarrah, who had previously been listed by the U.S. as a wanted jihadist for years, highlighting a major policy shift in Washington’s approach to the Syrian conflict.
