U.S. President Donald Trump was reportedly taken by surprise following a recent Israeli military strike in Syria, according to a senior aide familiar with the situation. The strike, which targeted Iranian-linked infrastructure near Damascus, is said to have occurred without prior notice to Trump or his closest advisors.
The aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump was “caught off guard” and expressed concern over the timing and potential geopolitical fallout of the attack. “The President had no advance knowledge and was visibly frustrated by being blindsided on such a sensitive regional issue,” the aide noted.
While Israel has conducted numerous operations in Syria targeting Iranian military assets, the lack of coordination this time has raised questions about ongoing diplomatic and intelligence-sharing arrangements between the two allies.
Sources close to Trump say he remains a strong supporter of Israel but believes that open channels of communication are essential, especially amid heightened tensions in the region and ongoing discussions over Syria’s post-war reconstruction and Iran’s nuclear posture.
Current and former national security officials have not commented publicly on the situation. Meanwhile, the Israeli government has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in the strike, maintaining its policy of strategic ambiguity.
The unexpected development could influence broader Middle East policy debates in Washington, where Trump continues to hold sway among Republican policymakers ahead of the 2024 election cycle.
