Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has moved to quash speculation about a potential Syrian military intervention in Lebanon, insisting that his country's approach is aimed at ending the war there, not extending it.
Ahmad al-Sharaa. Reuters
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has moved to quash speculation about a potential Syrian military intervention in Lebanon, insisting that his country's approach is aimed at ending the war there, not extending it.
"The rumours circulating about Syria entering Lebanon are nothing but speculation," al-Sharaa said in remarks reported Friday by Lebanese media, adding that "Syria's approach aims to end the war in Lebanon, not to expand it or become involved in it."
The denial comes after President Donald Trump recently suggested that Syria might be willing to intervene against Hezbollah in Lebanon, a statement that had fuelled widespread speculation about Damascus's intentions along its western border.
Al-Sharaa also addressed the sensitive question of the Syrian-Lebanese border demarcation, making clear it was not a priority at this stage. More pressing, he said, was the situation of approximately 1.4 million Syrian refugees currently in Lebanon and the need to find an appropriate mechanism to facilitate their return home.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the US State Department on Sunday, opening a series of official talks in Washington. It marks the first visit to the American capital by a Lebanese head of state since Michel Sleiman was received by Barack Obama in 2009.
Israeli and Jordanian forces intercepted an Iranian missile aimed at the Jordanian city of Aqaba on Sunday, the Israeli military said, as air raid sirens sounded across Jordan.
Israel is preparing to receive more U.S. refuelling aircraft, an Israeli military official said on Sunday, as attacks launched by the United States and Iran have escalated over the past week.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.
