Trump says he thinks Israel will withdraw troops from southern Lebanon
Trump said Israel wants to withdraw from southern Lebanon under a US mediated deal, despite Netanyahu saying troops will stay while Hezbollah remains a threat
Assessment
A gap has opened between the Trump administration's stated expectation of an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and Prime Minister Netanyahu's insistence that troops will remain as long as Hezbollah poses a threat. This divergence suggests the US mediated deal may not be as settled as Trump's comment implies. The next signal to watch is whether Washington pressures Jerusalem to align with its timeline or accepts Israel's security rationale.