Trump says al-Sharaa would handle Hezbollah ‘more precisely’ than Israel
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa would deal with Hezbollah differently from Israel, arguing that the Syrian leader would act with greater precision and avoid widespread destruction.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Trump said he believed al-Sharaa would “take care” of the Iran-backed Lebanese group in a different way than Israel.
“He wouldn’t knock down buildings. I’d hate to see buildings knocked down,” Trump said, adding that al-Sharaa would be “more precise” than Israel in targeting Hezbollah.
Trump did not elaborate on how such a role would be carried out or whether there were any formal plans for Syrian involvement against Hezbollah.
The remarks come weeks after Trump revealed that he had discussed Hezbollah with al-Sharaa during the G7 summit in France. At the time, Trump criticized Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon, saying it had caused excessive civilian casualties, and suggested Syria could be more effective in confronting the group.
According to Trump, al-Sharaa is interested in addressing the Hezbollah issue, while also emphasizing that Syria could do so without destroying residential buildings. He also reiterated his view that Israel should reduce its military presence in Lebanon and focus instead on what he described as the larger challenge posed by Iran.
However, al-Sharaa has previously denied reports that Syria intends to intervene militarily in Lebanon, saying Damascus is focused on rebuilding the country after years of conflict. He has described claims of a planned Syrian military role in Lebanon as “completely false” and said Syria seeks to strengthen economic cooperation with Lebanon rather than pursue military involvement.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran and designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, has been engaged in hostilities with Israel since the regional escalation that followed the Israel-Iran conflict. U.S.-mediated efforts have sought to secure Israeli withdrawals from parts of southern Lebanon, strengthen the Lebanese army’s role and advance proposals for Hezbollah’s disarmament, although the group has rejected such plans.
By Jwan Shekaki