Trump's demand for Netanyahu caught political expert by surprise

President Donald Trump demanded Friday that Israel stop attacking Lebanon amid the fragile U.S. and Iran ceasefire, an announcement that surprised critics and prompted international security expert Robert Pape to describe it as a major turning point in U.S. global power.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that Israel is "PROHIBITED" from bombing Lebanon, apparently to appease Iran's ceasefire demands.

Israel had continued strikes despite Tehran making an end to attacks a condition of the truce.

Pape, a University of Chicago political science professor, argued the move represents a structural shift in world power dynamics, reflecting U.S. leverage to shape not just adversaries but their allies' behavior. He noted the U.S. historically avoided pressuring Israel in ways aligned with Iranian demands, marking a significant change.

Pape also suggested Iran's leverage demonstrates it as an emerging fourth center of world power amid broader global competition.

According to Axios, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu privately pressured Trump to abandon ceasefire pursuits.

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