Senior White House officials have told their Israeli counterparts that US President Donald Trump seeks a pullout of American troops stationed in parts of Syria, according to Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster.
BREAKING — Senior US officials informed Israel that Trump wants to withdraw the thousands of American soldiers currently in Syria, Israeli public broadcaster Kann reports pic.twitter.com/EzoVHfmIst
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) January 28, 2025
The United States has an estimated 2,000 service members in Syria who have supported Kurdish-led groups in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and maintained a presence in areas near the Israeli border.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz visited Mount Hermon in Syria on Tuesday, reiterating Israel’s intent to hold positions it 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 from Israeli leaders that a US withdrawal could expose northern Israel to new threats and leave Kurdish fighters vulnerable to attacks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government.
Some Syrian officials, including new leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, have urged the US to pressure Israel into withdrawing from the buffer zone near Mount Hermon. While Israeli authorities said they received no formal request, a government source told Kan News that Israel would not compromise its security in the region.
Analysts say the Trump administration floated a similar withdrawal plan in 2018-2019, though it did not fully materialize. Observers note that the security landscape in Syria has changed since that time, with regime change in Syria eliminating the Russian and Iranian presence. A US departure from eastern Syria could reshape alliances, affect Kurdish-held areas and open the door for possible moves by Turkish-backed forces.
Israel first captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and unilaterally annexed the territory in 1981. Under the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, both sides agreed to a demilitarized zone around Mount Hermon, but Israel’s strikes in December and statements from Syrian officials suggest tensions remain over territorial control and ongoing military deployments. US officials have not publicly confirmed details of any withdrawal plan.
This comes as the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) say Turkish airstrikes in northern Syria killed 18 civilians over two days, underscoring concerns about regional stability if US troops withdraw and leave Kurdish fighters more vulnerable to attacks.