Trump Says Israel Is Fighting ‘Too Long, and Too Many People Are Being Killed’

Allies that stood shoulder to shoulder against Iran are now butting heads over Hezbollah, the Iran-backed terrorist organization Israel has been punishing during its recent invasion into Lebanon.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said that as Israel approaches three years of nonstop war since Oct. 7, 2023, it might need to rest.

“I’m not happy with the way Israel has handled themselves with Lebanon and with Hezbollah,” Trump said, according to The Times of Israel.

“They should have been able to do the job faster. It just goes on forever. And when that happens, it throws a negative light on the big deal, and that’s the deal with Iran,” he said.

In a video posted to X, Trump called the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah a “minor war.”

“Iran’s the big one, but we have that little pinprick out there that constantly rears its head, and that’s Hezbollah,” he said.

“Israel has been fighting Hezbollah too long and too many people are being killed,” Trump said.

“You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody, because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they’re not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you. I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah, because to be honest with you, I think they’d do a better job of doing it,” Trump said.

.@POTUS on Israeli military action in Lebanon: “You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody, because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they’re not all Hezbollah.” pic.twitter.com/NIna5FFt6O

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 16, 2026

Venting further on the subject of Israel, Trump added, “I didn’t like where, two hours before we’re signing the agreement, that there was an attack in Lebanon, in Beirut.”

Trump touted the work of Ahmed al-Sharaa, the president of Syria.

“He’s very capable. And he’s been very good for me. He’s protected everything that I’ve asked for, he’s done. If Israel can’t do the job without killing everyone else, he’ll do the job. Syria will do the job.”

Trump further said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon,” according to CBS News.

TRUMP: “If it wasn’t for the United States of America, with me and because Obama was the opposite, Israel would not exist right now, Israel would’ve been blown off the face of the earth. 100%. And every smart person in Israel knows that.” pic.twitter.com/xOmBBviyzZ

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 16, 2026

Amid the criticism, he said that he and Netanyahu have a “great relationship,” and “we’re talking about some end details.”

“You know, you can do too much also, but we’ve had a very effective relationship,” Trump said.

“Without us, without the United States, there would be no Israel. Without me, there would be no Israel, because no other president was willing to do what I did.”

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