President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is considering granting Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara permission to enter Lebanon and confront Hezbollah, according to a single report. The remark follows Trump's earlier indication Wednesday that he was weighing a 'green light' for Syria to destroy Hezbollah.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday evening that he is considering giving Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara permission to enter Lebanon and confront Hezbollah, according to a single report. "He wants to enter [the area] and confront Hezbollah, and I am examining the possibility of giving him permission to do so," Trump stated.
The statement comes a day after Trump's earlier remarks on Tuesday evening, July 14, in which he suggested Israel withdraw from parts of Lebanon and southern Syria and said he was considering giving Syria a green light to destroy Hezbollah. That report, published by The Zioneer at 21:06 Jerusalem, followed a series of claims on Tuesday evening: a Russian source reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a Trump request to withdraw from Syria and Lebanon; and Channel 14 journalist Noam Amir reported a demand and refusal without specifying the subject.
As The Zioneer has reported since mid-June, Trump has made multiple statements on the regional dynamic. On July 9, he said al-Shara committed to assist in dealing with Hezbollah. On June 17, he said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would be happy to step in and deal with Hezbollah. On June 21, he threatened Iran with strikes if Hezbollah continued to cause trouble. On June 15, he expressed hope for a resolution in Lebanon. The pattern suggests Trump is publicly weighing a shift in the regional balance, with Syria potentially taking on a role against Hezbollah, while also urging Israel to adjust its policy.
No official response from Jerusalem or Damascus has been reported yet. The single-source nature of the latest report means the details remain unverified beyond the quoted statement.
6 developments
- StrongTrump says Syria 'would be happy' to handle Hezbollah, Lebanese president to visit Washington
- DevelopingTrump says he is disappointed Israel hasn't 'moved' Hezbollah from Lebanon, hints at Syrian role
- DevelopingTrump: Syrian President al-Shara committed to help with Hezbollah
- StrongTrump says he believes Israel will withdraw from southern Lebanon, differing from Netanyahu's stance
Source and signal
- Internal intake