US President Donald Trump said Syria could help address the threat posed by Hezbollah in Lebanon, praising President Ahmad Al Shara's leadership while calling for more targeted military action against the Iran-backed militant group.
The remarks are likely to fuel concerns about a potential push for Syria to get involved in Lebanon again, with a possible incursion from the east to fight Hezbollah.
Mr Trump said he wanted to see a "better life" for Lebanon, adding that the US could assist in that effort or recommend Syria as a potential partner.
"I’d like to see Lebanon have a better life, I’d like to see a more surgical attack on Hezbollah," Mr Trump said in an interview with NBC News last weekend.
"I think it should be more surgical. And we can help them with that, or we can recommend Syria. Syria’s doing a very good job of cleaning up their act. They have a very good leader. They have a leader that’s really done a good job in a short period of time. And he would love to help."
Damascus has not commented publicly on the US President's remarks.
Reports emerged earlier this year that Washington was seeking to persuade the Syrian President to send forces into eastern Lebanon in an effort to curb Hezbollah activity.
The idea was first discussed last year, The National understands, and resurfaced in late February at the start of the Iran war, when Hezbollah launched missiles at Israel in retaliation for the killing of the Islamic republic's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack denied related reports at the time, describing them as "false and inaccurate".
The reports in March coincided with military deployments near parts of the Syrian-Lebanese border, with Damascus insisting the move was purely defensive. Syria has so far stayed out of the wider Middle East war.
A senior US official with direct knowledge of the matter told The National then that Syria's border reinforcements could stop the flow of combatants, weapons and equipment linked to Hezbollah from entering.
"The cut off of external support would be very useful to the Lebanese Armed Forces and ultimately Israel as they carve out a buffer," said the official.
Last year, Mr Al Shara said that after his forces had entered Damascus, they had "every justification to retaliate against Hezbollah for its actions in Syria over the past years".
"That option was available to us and would have enjoyed international backing," he said. "But I decided against taking that path, even though it would probably have been welcomed by most Lebanese. This is a minefield, however, and a single misstep could cause the situation to explode."
Hezbollah fought alongside former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad throughout much of Syria's civil war, including against insurgent groups led by Mr Al Shara, who headed Hayat Tahrir Al Sham before toppling the regime and becoming President.
Relations between Lebanon and Syria have long been sensitive, shaped in part by Syria’s military presence in Lebanon during and after the 1975-1990 civil war. Syrian troops withdrew in 2005 following the assassination of former prime minister Rafic Hariri.
Washington's interest in Lebanon
The US ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, said on Monday "everything happening in Washington is in Lebanon’s interest". His comments came after meeting Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is also a Hezbollah ally and acts as its mediator.
"When did you guys hear of an American president raising the topic of Lebanon every day? He pretty much got into an argument with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu over Lebanon,” Mr Issa told reporters after his Ain El Tineh visit.
Mr Issa added that Lebanese-Israeli negotiations have been scheduled to resume in Washington.
His comments came despite a US decision to reduce assistance to the Lebanese army to $36 million for fiscal year 2027. The cut could place additional pressure on an already strained institution that is the only viable state alternative to Hezbollah's military presence in the south and across the country. Since 2021, the army has received between $100 million and $200 million annually in US funding.
Efforts to disarm the group, both domestic and international, have repeatedly stalled, hampered by Hezbollah’s military strength, its backing from Iran and the Lebanese army’s limited capabilities.
The war between Israel and Hezbollah has persisted despite several ceasefires declared from Washington since April. Israel has never halted its Lebanon campaign, which has killed thousands of people and forced about 1.2 million to flee their homes. Hezbollah has also continued its attacks on Israel.
Both sides have frequently exchanged accusations of breaking the truce, with each justifying its attacks by referencing alleged violations committed by the enemy.
Tehran has long said any peace deal with the US to end the Middle East war depends in part on an end to fighting in Lebanon.
Lebanese army chief Gen Rodolphe Haykal on Tuesday met his Pakistani counterpart Asim Munir and the military leaders agreed to boost co-operation. Gen Haykal had left for Pakistan on Saturday. Pakistan has been mediating between the US and Iran in efforts to end the months-long conflict.
