Syria’s foreign minister, Asaad al-Shibani, traveled to Beirut to meet with Lebanese government leaders, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments about taking on Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Syrian Government’s Stance
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has previously denied rumors about any Syrian presence entering Lebanon. The Syrian minister met Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and then headed for a meeting with the parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah.
Syria’s new government, under former al Qaeda commander Sharaa, has emerged as a U.S. ally since his forces toppled President Bashar al-Assad in 2024. The country has largely stayed out of the regional war between the U.S. and Israel, and Iran.
Trump said last month he had spoken to Sharaa about combating Hezbollah, after criticizing Israel for killing too many civilians in Lebanon and not getting the job done. The U.S. had encouraged Syria to consider sending forces into eastern Lebanon to help disarm Hezbollah, but Damascus was reluctant to embark on such a mission for fear of being sucked into the war in the Middle East and inflaming sectarian tensions in Syria and Lebanon.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
