Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said on Sunday that Syria will not enter Lebanon to fight Hezbollah, pushing back on a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump. In a radio interview from the Gulf, al-Sharaa said Syria can be relied on to seek a safe path to a solution, but that does not mean war. He described Syria’s role as “completely positive” and wished “happy lives” for Lebanon’s people.
At the same time, al-Sharaa warned that Hezbollah is increasingly being viewed by some states as part of the “Iranian file,” and said that this creates “a very great danger.” He said alternative solutions should be found for Lebanon’s Shiite population, and that Syria would act through Lebanese institutions and the Lebanese state.
Trump said earlier on Fox News that he was “disappointed that Israel cannot ‘move’ Hezbollah,” adding that they cannot do anything without blowing up a few buildings. He said he was close to “giving it to Syria,” meaning allowing al-Sharaa to enter southern Lebanon and fight Hezbollah, a proposal the Syrian president effectively rejected. Trump said he believed al-Sharaa would do a more precise job in dealing with Hezbollah.
The idea has alarmed Israel. Earlier this week, N12 reported that Israeli officials view Trump’s proposal for Syria to “handle” Hezbollah as deeply troubling, and one Israeli source said it would be “like throwing a match into a powder keg,” bringing “Al Qaeda and Erdogan to our northern border.” Security officials consider that scenario the worst possible outcome, especially because of Trump’s rapport with both al-Sharaa and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Meanwhile, Israel is still looking for new ways to deal with Hezbollah. N12 reported Sunday night that Israel is considering allowing the Lebanese Army to take control of a Hezbollah tunnel complex in the southern Lebanese village of Tebenit. According to people familiar with the matter, the option has been discussed in recent political and military meetings and could come up again in the next negotiation round on Tuesday.
