Syrian President Abu Mohammad al-Julani said Sunday evening that Syria could assist in disarming Hezbollah in Lebanon, but ruled out military action or placing Lebanon under Syrian patronage, according to reports from Syrian media cited by Amichai Stein (i24NEWS). The statement appears to position Damascus as a potential facilitator of the disarmament process without direct military involvement.
Syrian President Abu Mohammad al-Julani said Sunday evening that Syria may assist in disarming Hezbollah in Lebanon, but ruled out military action or Syrian patronage over Lebanon. The statement, reported by Syrian media and cited by Amichai Stein (i24NEWS), marks the latest development in a sequence of Syrian clarifications throughout the evening regarding its stance toward the Lebanese militia.
As The Zioneer reported at 21:35 Jerusalem, al-Julani had already said Syria will not operate militarily against Hezbollah, and earlier clarified that Syria would not enter Lebanon to fight the group. The new remarks — coming within the same hour — now add a conditional willingness to help facilitate disarmament, while reiterating the red lines against sending troops or asserting political control over Lebanon. The sequence underscores Damascus's consistent rejection of military intervention, with a prior refusal reported by multiple Syrian channels as early as the first dispatch at 21:35 Jerusalem.
These comments follow weeks of statements by U.S. President Donald Trump and senior officials urging Damascus to act against Hezbollah, as The Zioneer reported on June 17 and June 16. Trump said on Wednesday that al-Julani is 'capable of handling Hezbollah' in a targeted manner, and earlier this month said he was 'close to letting Syria do it.' The Syrian response has been a steady refusal of military intervention, with a previous rejection reported as recently as June 16.
Hezbollah has firmly opposed any disarmament framework. As The Zioneer reported on June 4, Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem said that disarming the organization would 'destroy Lebanon.' It remains unclear whether al-Julani's latest position — assistance without war — can bridge the gap between Trump's demands and Hezbollah's defiance, or if it signals any concrete follow-up.
7 developments
- StrongSyrian president al-Sharaa rejects US proposal to confront Hezbollah militarily in Lebanon, citing concern over perception and unmet Israeli demands
- StrongSyria's interim president: We have a deep problem with Hezbollah but don't want Lebanon destroyed
- DevelopingSyria's al-Julani says he believes in dialogue with Hezbollah even during war
- DevelopingTrump says Syria could handle Hezbollah 'without knocking down buildings', Israel should not need to
Source and signal
- Internal intake