{"id":1689,"date":"2026-07-03T14:51:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T14:51:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arabnewsmonitor.com\/2026\/07\/03\/syria-rules-out-military-intervention-in-lebanon-despite-us-pressure\/"},"modified":"2026-07-03T14:51:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T14:51:37","slug":"syria-rules-out-military-intervention-in-lebanon-despite-us-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=1689","title":{"rendered":"Syria rules out military intervention in Lebanon despite US pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--banner-top o-ad-container--with-shimmer o-ad-container--with-background\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-type=\"sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-status=\"disabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring__wrapper\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content t-content--article\" id=\"main-content\">\n<div class=\"t-content__above-sidebar\">\n<h1 class=\"t-content__title a-page-title\">Syria rules out military intervention in Lebanon despite US pressure<\/h1>\n<div class=\"m-master-tag\">\n<div class=\"a-tag-section\">\n                                    Middle East\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"t-content__chapo\">\n                                        Syria has ruled out military intervention in Lebanon despite US pressure to act against Hezbollah, saying it seeks to avoid escalation and focus on rebuilding ties with Beirut.                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__with-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"t-content__beside-sidebar\" data-article-content>\n<div class=\"t-content__metadata\">\n<div class=\"t-content__dates\">\n<p class=\"m-pub-dates\"><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Issued on: <time datetime=\"2026-07-03T00:32:43+00:00\">03\/07\/2026 &#8211; 02:32<\/time><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-reading-time\">\n    <span class=\"a-reading-time__icon\" title=\"Reading time\"><\/p>\n<p>    <\/span><br \/>\n    2 min    <span class=\"u-sr-only\">Reading time<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a-share-button\" data-root-share>\n<p>                            <span class=\"a-master-button__label\">Share<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__authors\">\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                By:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/france-24\/\" title=\"FRANCE 24\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                FRANCE 24<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__main-media\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/6f9bbef2-7675-11f1-a32a-005056bfb2b6\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/AP26183480359777.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/6f9bbef2-7675-11f1-a32a-005056bfb2b6\/w:388\/p:16x9\/AP26183480359777.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/6f9bbef2-7675-11f1-a32a-005056bfb2b6\/w:720\/p:16x9\/AP26183480359777.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/6f9bbef2-7675-11f1-a32a-005056bfb2b6\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/AP26183480359777.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, 2 July 2026.\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                In this photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, right, meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, 2 July 2026.        \u00a9 Lebanese Presidency press office via AP    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__body u-clearfix\">\n<p>Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/lebanon\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Lebanon<\/a>&#8216;s president on Thursday that Damascus had no intention of intervening militarily in his country despite US pressure to do so, according to the Lebanese presidency.<\/p>\n<p>Shaibani, who also invited President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/joseph-aoun\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Joseph Aoun<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/syria\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Syria<\/a>, is visiting Beirut, where he met parliament speaker Nabih Berri, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/hezbollah\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Hezbollah<\/a> ally, for the first time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Read more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260615-isreal-to-stay-indefinitely-in-lands-seized-in-lebanon-syria-and-gaza-says-defence-minister\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">Israel to stay \u2018indefinitely\u2019 in lands seized in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria<\/a><\/p>\n<p>US President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Donald Trump<\/a> has repeatedly said that Syria could &#8220;take care of Hezbollah&#8221;, criticising <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Israel<\/a>&#8216;s strategy in its war with the Iran-backed militant group.<\/p>\n<p>But Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who came to power in December 2024 after leading a coalition that toppled longtime ruler <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/bashar-al-assad\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Bashar al-Assad<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/live-news\/20260621-syria-president-denies-wanting-to-intervene-in-lebanon-after-trump-remarks\" target=\"_self\">has stated that he has no intention of intervening or reopening old wounds.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Shaibani told Aoun he wanted &#8220;to clear up the confusion sparked by reports of a potential Syrian military intervention in Lebanon&#8221;, adding that &#8220;Syria had no intention of undertaking such a move&#8221;, the presidency said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>Shaibani also extended to Aoun an invitation from Sharaa to visit Syria, which would be a first.<\/p>\n<p>After meeting Berri, Shaibani told reporters that he did not rule out the possibility of a meeting with Hezbollah in the future.<\/p>\n<p>Shaibani had previously visited Lebanon in October\u00a0\u2013 the first visit by a senior Syrian official since the Islamist coalition took power in Damascus, opening a new chapter in relations between the two countries.<\/p>\n<p>Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, for his part, travelled to Syria in May.<\/p>\n<p>At a joint appearance with Shaibani on Thursday, Salam announced the creation of a high-level committee tasked with developing economic partnerships and security agreements between the countries.<\/p>\n<p>The new Syrian authorities are hostile to Hezbollah, which was allied with Assad, and have announced arrests of alleged cells affiliated with the group.<\/p>\n<p>Hezbollah denies having any presence in Syria.<\/p>\n<p>Since late 2024, Hezbollah&#8217;s former Syrian supply routes have been cut and Damascus authorities say several attempts to smuggle weapons to Lebanon have been foiled.<\/p>\n<p>The Syrian army intervened in Lebanon during its civil war in 1976 and exercised tutelage over its neighbour for decades, where it was accused of numerous assassinations.<\/p>\n<p>During his trip, Shaibani met with the leaders of Christian parties that had opposed Syrian tutelage.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This visit lays the foundation for a new phase in relations with Lebanon and the different Lebanese political factions based on partnership and cooperation,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Samy Gemayel, head of one of the Christian parties, said it had &#8220;sacrificed thousands of martyrs in the fight against the Assad regime&#8221;, but was &#8220;welcoming today the representative of the new Syria&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><em>(FRANCE 24 with AFP)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"o-sidebar__aside\">\n<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--box o-ad-container--with-shimmer\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__tags t-content__below-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"m-section-title m-section-title--small\">Keywords for this article<\/div>\n<ul class=\"m-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/syria\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Syria\">    Syria<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/lebanon\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Lebanon\">    Lebanon<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/michel-aoun\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Michel Aoun\">    Michel Aoun<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/abu-mohammed-al-jolani\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Ahmed al-Sharaa (Abu\u00a0Mohammed al-Jolani)\">    Ahmed al-Sharaa (Abu\u00a0Mohammed al-Jolani)<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/hezbollah\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Hezbollah\">    Hezbollah<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Advertising Syria rules out military intervention in Lebanon despite US pressure Middle East Syria has&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1690,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1689","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1689"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1689\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1689"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1689"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1689"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}