U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he ​thought Israel would withdraw troops from ‌southern Lebanon because it wanted to take that step, despite comments from Israel's leader indicating otherwise.

Trump told ​reporters at the NATO Summit ​in Ankara that he had discussed a ⁠withdrawal with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ​Netanyahu.

"Yeah, I think they're going to. I ​think they want to," Trump said. "So we have a deal with Israel and Lebanon. Yeah, they'll ​leave. And I think it's going ​to work out very well."

Netanyahu visited Lebanese ‌territory ⁠occupied by the Israeli military last week, telling soldiers that Israel would not withdraw from the country's south as long as Iran-backed ​Hezbollah continued ​to pose ⁠a threat.

The Israeli and Lebanese governments on June 26 ​reached a security agreement mediated ​by ⁠the United States under which Israel will hand over two areas to Lebanon's army.