Syria rules out military intervention in Lebanon amid US pressure

Syria has ruled out any military intervention in Lebanon, even as Washington is reported to be pressing Damascus to take a harder line against Hezbollah. The statement came during a visit to Beirut by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, who met Lebanese leaders and sought to ease concern over reports of possible Syrian involvement. Damascus said it wanted to clear up confusion and avoid any escalation.

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According to the Lebanese presidency, Shaibani told President Joseph Aoun that Syria had no intention of intervening militarily in Lebanon despite external pressure. He also invited Aoun to visit Syria, in what would be the first such trip by a Lebanese president since the change of power in Damascus. Shaibani separately met parliament speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, for the first time during the visit.

After that meeting, he told reporters that he did not rule out a future meeting with Hezbollah. The visit is part of a broader effort to reset relations between the two neighbours after years of hostility and mistrust. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam travelled to Syria in May, and at a joint appearance with Shaibani on Thursday he announced the creation of a high-level committee to develop economic partnerships and security agreements.

Syrian authorities have also said they have arrested alleged cells linked to Hezbollah and foiled several attempts to smuggle weapons into Lebanon since late 2024, after Hezbollah's former supply routes through Syria were cut. The issue matters because Syria and Lebanon remain closely linked politically, economically and in security terms, while Hezbollah remains a central actor in the regional confrontation involving Israel, Iran and the United States. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said Syria could "take care of Hezbollah", reflecting pressure on Damascus to use its new position against the group.

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But Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who came to power in December 2024 after leading the coalition that toppled Bashar al-Assad, has said he does not intend to intervene or reopen old wounds. The history between the two countries gives the current statements added weight. The Syrian army intervened in Lebanon during the civil war in 1976 and later exercised tutelage over its neighbour for decades, a period associated with repeated accusations of political interference and assassinations.

That legacy still shapes Lebanese reactions to any suggestion of Syrian military involvement, especially when the discussion touches Hezbollah and the balance of power inside Lebanon. Shaibani's Beirut trip also marks a notable shift in diplomatic contact after the fall of Assad, whose government was allied with Hezbollah. He had previously visited Lebanon in October, the first visit by a senior Syrian official since the Islamist coalition took power in Damascus.

The latest meetings suggest both sides are trying to build a new framework for relations, but the extent of cooperation on security and border issues remains unclear. What remains uncertain is whether the new committee announced by Salam will produce concrete agreements, and whether Syria will maintain its current stance as regional pressure continues. It is also not clear how Hezbollah will respond to the changing tone from Damascus, or whether any future meeting between Shaibani and the group will take place.

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