Senior White House officials have told their Israeli counterparts that US President Donald Trump is seeking to withdraw US troops stationed in some parts of Syria, Israeli public media outlet "Khan" revealed.
The United States has about 2,000 troops in Syria supporting Kurdish-led groups in the fight against the "Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant" (ISIS) and maintain a presence in areas near the Israeli border.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz visited Mount Hermon in Syria on Tuesday, reaffirming Israel's intention to hold the positions it has seized in the Golan Heights sector.
Katz said the Israel Defense Forces would remain there "indefinitely" to prevent hostile elements from approaching. Katz's remarks followed repeated statements by Israeli leaders that a U.S. withdrawal could expose northern Israel to new threats and leave Kurdish fighters vulnerable to attacks by the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Some Syrian officials, including new leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, have called on the United States to pressure Israel to withdraw from the buffer zone near Mount Hermon. Although Israeli officials said they had not received a formal request, a government source told Kan News that Israel would not compromise its security in the region.
Analysts say the Trump administration proposed a similar withdrawal plan in 2018-2019, but it has not been fully implemented. Observers note that the security landscape in Syria has changed since then, with regime change in Syria eliminating the Russian and Iranian presence. A U.S. withdrawal from eastern Syria could shift alliances, affect Kurdish-controlled areas, and open the door to possible moves by Turkish-backed forces.
Israel first captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Middle East war, and unilaterally annexed the territory in 1981. Under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, The two sides agreed on a demilitarized zone around Mount Hermon, but Israeli strikes in December and statements by Syrian officials show that tensions remain over territorial control and the continued deployment of military forces.
US officials have not publicly confirmed details of any withdrawal plan.
It comes as the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said Turkish airstrikes in northern Syria had killed 18 civilians in two days, underscoring concerns about regional stability if US troops withdraw and leave Kurdish fighters more vulnerable to attack.