U.S. Officials Slam Netanyahu Govt. Over Attacks On Syria: 'Need To Get Their Head Out Of Their As--s'

U.S. officials are slamming Israeli counterparts, warning that they don't seem to be aware of the hit their standing in the White House took over the past week following the bombing of the Syrian presidential palace and a Catholic church in Gaza.

Axios quoted an official saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "acted like a madman," claiming that he "bombs everything all the time." The official warned that the attack on Syria's presidential palace "could undermine what Trump is trying to do" in the country with the rise of Ahmed al-Sharaa following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

Israel claimed last week it was protecting the Druze minority, which has a heavy presence in the northern part of the country as well and is a close ally, amid ethnic clashes in the country, especially in the city of Suwayda.

The country bombed a convoy of Syrian army tanks heading to the city to respond to the clashes. Israel claimed the convoy crossed into a zone it demands be demilitarized and that the Syrian army was taking part in attacks on the Druze. The Syrian presidency rejected taking part in the attacks, saying it had sent troops to quash the confrontations.

The move reportedly created anger in the Trump administration, which has supported al-Sharaa. "The bombing in Syria caught the president and the White House by surprise. The president doesn't like turning on the television and seeing bombs dropped in a country he is seeking peace in and made a monumental announcement to help rebuild," said another official.

U.S. reportedly pressured Israel into deescalating, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio telling Netanyahu to stop. The Israeli prime minister agreed in exchange for the withdrawal of the Syrian military from the city. Special envoy Tom Barrack announced a ceasefire on Saturday, which was confirmed by both Netanyahu and al-Sharaa.

"In light of the delicate circumstances that the country is going through, in order to save the blood of Syrians, preserve the unity of the Syrian territory and the safety of its people, and in response to national and humanitarian responsibility, the Presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic declares a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire," the Syrian presidency wrote in a statement.

"This is a ceasefire achieved through strength," Netanyahu said on his end. "Not through pleas, not through begging — through strength."

Barrack then called on the different ethnicities clashing in the area — Druze, Bedouins and Sunnis — "to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbors."

However, a U.S. official told Axios that Israeli officials don't seem to be fully aware of the damage their standing in the White House sustained. "The Israelis need to get their head out of their asses," the official said.