Trump Suggests Syria Replace Israel in Targeting Hezbollah as Regional Tensions Escalate

President Donald Trump has proposed that Syria could assume a larger role in military operations against Hezbollah, marking a significant shift in U.S. strategy toward the militant group. Trump made the suggestion at the G7 summit in Paris, stating that Syria would "do a better job" than Israel in targeting Hezbollah. The proposal comes amid escalating tensions in the region, with Trump expressing frustration over Israel's military strikes in southern Lebanon, which have prompted Iranian threats to withdraw from ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations aimed at ending the broader conflict.

The Trump administration's proposed shift reflects dramatic geopolitical changes in Syria following the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda fighter, became Syria's president in January 2025 and has taken a notably different stance toward Hezbollah compared to his predecessor. Under al-Assad, Hezbollah maintained approximately 10,000 fighters in Syria and used the country as a crucial corridor for weapons shipments from Iran. Since al-Sharaa's government took power, Syria has thwarted multiple Hezbollah plots and disrupted weapons trafficking through Syrian territory, effectively severing the group's primary supply line.

Trump's frustration with Israel's operations has been explicit. According to reports, Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in early June that he was "fucking crazy" after Israeli strikes prompted Iran to threaten withdrawal from negotiations. In subsequent comments to NBC News, Trump stated he would "like to see a more surgical attack on Hezbollah," expressing his preference for more targeted operations rather than broader military campaigns.

However, Syria's new leadership has firmly rejected any notion of coordinating with the United States or Israel on military operations against Hezbollah. Ahmed al-Sharaa dismissed suggestions that Syria was planning a "surgical attack" on the group, denying that any such plans are underway. Despite the Syrian government's stated position against Hezbollah's regional activities, officials have not publicly committed to conducting independent military operations against the organization.

Analysts point out that while Syria's new government has demonstrated willingness to obstruct Hezbollah's operations within its borders, the feasibility of Syria launching sustained military campaigns against Hezbollah—particularly in Lebanon—remains highly questionable. The proposal reflects Trump's effort to find alternative solutions to the Hezbollah problem amid ongoing international negotiations, though the practical implementation of such a strategy faces significant diplomatic and military obstacles.