Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani visited Beirut on Thursday and stated that Syria does not intend to invade Lebanon or fight Hezbollah, according to Syrian media reports. The visit follows his earlier openness to meeting the Iran-backed militia if needed.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani visited Beirut on Thursday and said Damascus has no intention of invading Lebanon or fighting Hezbollah, according to Syrian media reports. The statement reinforces a recent diplomatic push by Syria to reassure the Lebanese state and its political factions, including the Iran-backed Hezbollah, that the new government in Damascus is not planning military intervention across the border.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Thursday, al-Shibani said Syria is open to meeting Hezbollah if needed, a position that represents a notable shift from earlier tensions between the former Assad regime and the Lebanese militia. The visit to Beirut also follows a statement by Syria's interim president last week that, while Syria has "a deep problem" with Hezbollah, it does not want the destruction of Lebanon. Al-Shibani is also expected to meet with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
Al-Shibani's remarks come amid ongoing debate in Israel and the U.S. over whether Syrian-aligned forces should take an active role in confronting Hezbollah inside Lebanon. President Donald Trump recently said Syria "would be happy" to handle the militia. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has called for ending "the Iranian occupation of Lebanon through Hezbollah" as part of a permanent security arrangement. No further details on the visit's outcome have been reported.
4 developments
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Source and signal
- Internal intake