US to withdraw troops from Syria within 2 months, Israel media reports

US security officials have informed their Israeli counterparts that the US intends to begin the gradual withdrawal of its forces from Syria within two months, according to a report by Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper yesterday.

According to the paper, the Israeli government has tried to dissuade Washington from this move but has “received notice of the failure of its efforts,” while the security establishment in Tel Aviv continues to pressure the US administration to reverse the decision.

This comes amid President Donald Trump’s push to end the US military presence in the Middle East, based on an isolationist policy supported by senior officials in his administration, including his Vice President JD Vance.

The newspaper reported that Washington has been keeping Tel Aviv updated on developments on a regular basis, with Israeli officials expressing “grave concern” about the consequences of the US withdrawal from Syrian territory.

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The newspaper quoted a senior Israeli security official saying that assessments in Tel Aviv indicate that the US withdrawal may be partial, adding that Israel seeks to limit its scope as much as possible fearing that Turkiye will fill the vacuum in strategic areas in northeastern Syria.

Israeli officials believe that the current US presence in these areas is a factor of stability, and that a US military withdrawal from the region could increase Turkiye’s appetite to control sites of military importance deep inside Syria.

The newspaper reported that Israel informed both Ankara and Washington that any Turkish presence in military bases such as the T4 base in central Syria or Palmyra would be considered “crossing red lines” and could “directly impact the Israeli army’s freedom of action on the northern front.”

The anticipated US withdrawal, the continued, along with the “friendly relationship” expressed by the US President with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, has prompted Israeli security agencies to raise their level of preparedness and alert.

According to the newspaper, “Trump’s offer to mediate between Israel and Turkiye is not reassuring, especially in light of the ongoing preparations on the ground for the withdrawal from Syria,” adding that Israel’s recent attacks on T4 are part of a “race against time” before the US withdrawal.

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