A strike on the only Catholic Church in Gaza last Thursday drew an immediate reaction from Trump, who called Netanyahu to express his displeasure and ensure the Israeli leader issued a statement labelling the attack a mistake

Trump was also surprised by Israeli airstrikes in the Syrian capital Damascus, which came as his administration works to stabilise the war-torn country. "The president enjoys a good working relationship with Bibi Netanyahu, and stays in frequent communication with him. He was caught off guard by the bombing in Syria and also the bombing of a Catholic Church in Gaza," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday

"In both accounts, the president quickly called the prime minister to rectify those situations," she added

Leavitt also pointed to diplomatic efforts in Syria led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has worked to ease tensions as the U.S. lifts sanctions and supports new Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel leader

Trump had hoped Netanyahu's recent visit to Washington would yield progress toward a ceasefire in Gaza, including the release of hostages held by Hamas and expanded humanitarian aid access. Despite Trump's repeated assertions that a deal was imminent, Netanyahu departed the U.S. without any announcement