US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Israel must attack Hezbollah “more surgically.”
“I told Netanyahu he has got to do it more surgically. Not knock down buildings. He can’t do it. It is too terrible and makes Israel look bad,” Trump said.
He said Hezbollah and its main backer, Iran, had ruined Lebanon. “When Iran gets taken out, Hezbollah automatically gets taken out,” Trump was quoted as telling Axios.
The US president also voiced his belief that Lebanon and the current government in Beirut could “make a comeback.”
Separately, a US official told Axios that Washington was going to “massively increase” its political campaign against Hezbollah and look for ways to increase the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).”
The official added that the US intended to do this “on a very rapid schedule.”
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the United States was working on a system for “vetted units” within the LAF to receive training, equipment, and capabilities to go after Hezbollah.
During his interview with Fox News, Rubio acknowledged that the LAF had the will to do so but lacked the full capability.
Rubio also rejected the idea of Israel establishing a permanent “buffer zone” inside Lebanon. “I don’t think the Israelis want it indefinitely… The Israelis will tell you that. They don’t want to permanently be in Lebanon,” Rubio said.
He also said Israel had no territorial claims on Lebanon.
