Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is convening a restricted security meeting over fears that Syria could move into Lebanon. The concern comes even though Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has publicly denied such intentions, because Israeli intelligence in recent months has reportedly pointed to the possibility that he is seriously considering it.
According to the report, al-Sharaa has recently received encouragement from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said, both publicly and in closed discussions, that he views Syrian forces entering Lebanon as a preferable way to dismantle Hezbollah, rather than relying on the IDF. Israel strongly rejects that idea.
Israeli officials say al-Sharaa, formerly a senior figure in al-Qaeda and ISIS, remains an Islamist militant in a suit and has not changed his ideology. They also warn that he is seen as a protégé of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, so any Syrian presence in Lebanon could indirectly create a Turkish foothold on Israel’s border.
Lebanon’s government is also firmly opposed to the plan. Its representatives reportedly conveyed that position directly to Trump during one of the latest negotiation rounds with Israel in Washington, but Trump continues to promote the idea despite objections from both Beirut and Jerusalem.
