Trump: Syria could handle Hezbollah; urges Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon

U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced his opinion that Israel should withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon, suggesting such a move could help de-escalate tensions in the region. Trump believes this would allow Washington and Tel Aviv to redirect their focus toward confronting Iran.

In an interview with Fox News, the U.S. president stated that an Israeli withdrawal could lead to greater stability in Lebanon. "It would be good to pull back. I think things would calm down a bit then, because we need to focus our energy on the big issue. And the big issue is Iran," Trump remarked.

Furthermore, Trump proposed that Syria's transitional president, Ahmed al-Sarrah, could play a role in addressing Hezbollah. He suggested that Syria might handle the situation more effectively and with less destructive methods than current Israeli military actions. "He could take on Hezbollah and do it differently. He wouldn't flatten buildings. I hated seeing buildings collapse," the U.S. president said.

Al-Sarrah has recently come under international scrutiny following his assumption of power in Syria. Previously, he led an armed group linked to Al-Qaeda. Trump's comments come shortly after the U.S. government decided to remove Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, signaling a shift in Washington's approach toward Damascus.

President Trump reiterated his belief that the Syrian leader could take action against Hezbollah. He concluded by emphasizing that a de-escalation in Lebanon would enable the United States to concentrate on managing the crisis with Iran.