Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa publicly dismissed suggestions on Sunday that Damascus plans to deploy troops to Lebanon to fight Hezbollah.
The statement follows several remarks by US President Donald Trump floating the possibility of Syrian military intervention to quell the ongoing war between Israel and the terrorist group.
"We are looking for economic channels between Lebanon and Syria, not military ones," al-Sharaa clarified during a broadcast interview with Al Mashhad, as reported by AFP.
The pushback comes after Trump expressed frustration to Fox News on Sunday over Israel's ongoing campaign, stating he was "disappointed Israel can't put Hezbollah away" and remarking, "I'm close to giving it over to Syria."
Hezbollah initially drew Lebanon into a wider confrontation on March 2 by launching rockets at Israel following joint US-Israeli strikes that eliminated its chief benefactor, Iran's Supreme Leader.
Israel responded with a ground incursion and widespread airstrikes, though a temporary pause in fighting took effect on the weekend.
Trump previously lauded al-Sharaa’s capabilities at the G7 summit in France, suggesting that “if Israel can't do the job (against Hezbollah) without killing everyone else, then he will do the job. Syria will do the job."
Rejecting a combat role, al-Sharaa explained that Damascus and Washington have mutually proposed a halt to the war through a mixture of non-military avenues.
"There must be various solutions, including economic, political and social, and the re-establishment of relations and the vital economic lifeline between Syria and Lebanon," the Syrian leader stated. "And alongside this, some security measures that respond firstly to Syrian and Lebanese concerns, and also Israeli concerns."
The geopolitical dynamics between Damascus and Hezbollah shifted radically after the 2024 overthrow of Bashar Al-Assad. Because Hezbollah historically fought to protect Assad's regime during the Syrian civil war, al-Sharaa and the successor administration harbor deep animosity toward the group.
Al-Sharaa noted that Syria maintains "many tools for having a positive impact within Lebanon, but this also depends primarily on Lebanon's agreement," adding that "Syria is greatly concerned with Lebanon's domestic situation because Lebanon's security and stability are part of Syria's security and stability."
When questioned about a willingness to negotiate directly with Hezbollah leadership, al-Sharaa responded, "if this serves Lebanon's interests and safeguards Syria's interests, why not?"
Israel’s Kan 11 News reported recently that Turkey had conveyed messages to Damascus advising against military action against Hezbollah, citing concerns that such a move would strengthen Israel's regional position.