Trump Urges Israel to Shift Focus to Iran, Suggests Syrian President Handle Hezbollah Threat

US President Donald Trump delivered a significant message to Israel, urging a strategic shift in its military deployment in Lebanon. Speaking in a Fox News interview on Wednesday, Trump called on Israel to cease ground maneuvers in Lebanon and redeploy its forces to concentrate on what he described as the "greater issue" of Iran. He emphasized that Israel should prioritize countering Iran’s influence rather than focusing on Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Trump further asserted that Syrian President Ahmad Hussein al-Shara could effectively manage the threat posed by Hezbollah. He stated, "He will handle Hezbollah differently, without destroying buildings, and he will be more precise than the Israelis in dealing with the organization, I know he wants to do it." This statement follows Trump’s recent decision to remove Syria from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism for the first time since 1979.

The remarks come amid escalating tensions between the US and Iran, highlighted by a renewed wave of US military strikes against Iranian targets. Earlier on Wednesday, the US launched a series of attacks aimed at degrading Iran’s military capabilities used to target commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This operation followed Trump’s announcement of reinstating a naval blockade on Iranian ports and his warning that failure by Tehran to return to negotiations could lead to expanded US strikes, including on civilian infrastructure.

The ongoing US military campaign involved fighter jets and naval vessels targeting dozens of military sites along the Iranian coast and near the Strait of Hormuz, including missile sites, drones, naval assets, and coastal defense systems. According to the US Central Command, these actions aim to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian crews in the region.