Trump Urges Syria to Fight Hezbollah as Israel's Lebanon War Tops 4,000 Deaths
Updated
Updated · The Boston Globe · Jun 28
Trump Urges Syria to Fight Hezbollah as Israel's Lebanon War Tops 4,000 Deaths
3 articles · Updated · The Boston Globe · Jun 28
Summary
Trump said at the G7 and again during U.S.-Iran talks that Syria should “take care of Hezbollah,” arguing Ahmad al-Sharaa’s government would act more precisely than Israel in Lebanon.
More than 4,000 people have been killed in Lebanon since Hezbollah joined the wider Iran war with a March 2 attack on Israel, a toll Trump cited as evidence the campaign is dragging on too long.
Al-Sharaa rejected any Syrian intervention, saying Damascus wants a permanent end to the war, stronger Lebanese institutions and broader economic, political and social solutions instead.
Israel and Lebanon have reacted warily because Syria’s new Islamist-led rulers remain suspect in Jerusalem, while many Lebanese still fear renewed Syrian influence after decades of occupation.
The proposal also lands as Syria sits between Israeli and Turkish rivalry, with Israeli security officials already meeting this week over the risks of developments on the Syrian-Lebanese front.
Is Trump's plan trading one regional threat for another by empowering Syria's new government?
Could Syria's return to Lebanon, meant to crush Hezbollah, inadvertently reignite wider sectarian conflict?
Why is the U.S. pushing a former adversary to solve a crisis its closest regional ally cannot?
2026 Lebanon Crisis: Trump’s Syria Proposal, Israel-Hezbollah War, and Global Economic Repercussions
Overview
On June 28, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed that Syria’s new Islamist-led government should handle Hezbollah in Lebanon instead of Israel continuing its military campaign. This sparked immediate concern in both Lebanon and Israel, while Syria firmly rejected any intervention. Amid rising tensions, the U.S. and Iran held their first direct talks since 1979, focusing on Lebanon as a key issue. These talks led to a memorandum of understanding aiming for a ceasefire, but the situation remains fragile, with ongoing diplomatic efforts and regional uncertainty shaping the path forward.