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U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa could deal with Hezbollah differently and more precisely than Israel, while also calling for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Syria and Lebanon.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump suggested Syria could play a role in addressing Hezbollah and said Israel should redirect its military focus toward Iran.
“Al-Sharaa will take care of Hezbollah, and he’ll do it differently,” Trump said. “He won’t destroy buildings.”
Trump added that the Syrian president would be “more precise than the Israelis” in dealing with the group.
“I know he wants to do that,” Trump said, without providing further details about the nature of Al-Sharaa’s proposed role or how it would be implemented.
Trump said Israel should withdraw from southern Syria and Lebanon and described a redeployment of Israeli forces in Lebanon as a positive step.
“It is good for Israel to redeploy in Lebanon to focus on the major issue, which is Iran,” he said, referring to the continuing escalation between Washington and Tehran.
Trump said Al-Sharaa could deal with Hezbollah in his own way without destroying residential buildings.
“He won’t knock down apartment houses,” Trump said.
The U.S. president said Al-Sharaa would act more carefully than Israel in handling the issue, but did not offer additional information about possible Syrian involvement.
Al-Sharaa has previously denied that Syria intends to intervene militarily in Lebanon.
The Syrian president said Damascus’ priority was rebuilding Syria following years of conflict and strengthening economic ties with Lebanon rather than pursuing military cooperation.
He described reports of a possible Syrian military intervention in Lebanon as “completely false.”
His previous statements contrast with Trump’s suggestion that Syria could assume a role in dealing with Hezbollah.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said July 12 that a proposal involving Syria in Lebanon had failed to receive support from either Lebanese or Israeli officials.
Trump’s latest remarks renewed the suggestion of a Syrian role against Hezbollah, while presenting Israeli redeployment from Lebanon as a way for Israel to concentrate its military efforts on Iran.
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