Reuters reported on Tuesday, March 17, citing informed sources, that the United States has encouraged the Syrian government to consider deploying forces in eastern Lebanon as part of efforts to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
According to five sources who spoke to the agency, Damascus remains hesitant to take such a step, fearing it could be drawn into a broader regional conflict and trigger sectarian tensions in the area.
Old discussions revived amid escalation
The sources said the proposal is not new. It was first discussed between US and Syrian officials last year, before being raised again recently alongside growing regional tensions.
This comes amid the escalating confrontation between Iran and Israel, which has spilled into Lebanon after Hezbollah announced military operations in support of Tehran earlier this month, prompting Israel to carry out strikes inside Lebanese territory.
Timing raises questions
Sources gave differing accounts of when the proposal was raised again. Two Syrian officials said Washington presented it before the latest escalation began, while a Western intelligence source said it was raised immediately after the escalation started.
According to the report, Reuters relied on ten sources, including Syrian officials and government advisers, as well as Western diplomats and an intelligence source.
Syrian caution
The Syrian government appears to be studying the proposal cautiously, without reaching a final decision so far, amid concerns about being drawn into direct confrontation in Lebanon and the potential domestic and regional security and political consequences.
No official comment was issued by the US State Department. A spokesperson declined to comment on private diplomatic communications, referring inquiries to the Syrian and Lebanese governments.
Damascus supports disarming Hezbollah
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa affirmed Syria’s full support for Lebanon’s stability and safety, as well as the Lebanese government’s efforts to restore sovereignty, strengthen security, and disarm what he described as the “Hezbollah militia.”
State-run SANA reported that al-Sharaa, during a trilateral call on March 11 with French President Emmanuel Macron and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, stressed the importance of opening a new chapter in Syrian-Lebanese relations based on cooperation and coordination in the interest of both peoples.
In later statements, al-Sharaa condemned what he described as Iran’s continued attempts to destabilize Arab capitals, affirming Damascus’ support for serious steps taken by the governments of Lebanon and Iraq to keep threats away from their territories.
He added that the current escalation in the Middle East represents an existential threat to the entire region.
During a video meeting with Middle Eastern leaders, held at the invitation of the European Council and the European Commission, al-Sharaa also said Syria had coordinated a unified position with regional countries and reinforced its defensive forces along the borders as a precaution against the spillover of the conflict into Syrian territory and to combat cross-border groups, referring to Hezbollah.
Military buildup is defensive
Syrian Defense Ministry spokesperson Hassan Abdel Ghani said the military buildup along the border with Lebanon is a natural precautionary defensive measure, not an offensive step, in response to Lebanese concerns about a possible Syrian role inside Lebanon.
In an interview with Lebanon’s MTV channel, Abdel Ghani said the deployment is being carried out in coordination with the Lebanese army to contain any violations on the ground, in the interest of both countries.
He added that Syrian leadership directives support the authority of the Lebanese state and its control over all Lebanese territory, stressing that Damascus’ priorities are growth, the economy, and reconstruction, not escalation or interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.
These statements followed a meeting between the chargé d’affaires of the Syrian embassy in Lebanon, Eyad al-Hazza, and Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, where both sides stressed that the military buildup is part of precautionary measures to strengthen border control and prevent smuggling, while maintaining Syria’s internal security.
The Lebanese side also stressed the importance of respecting each country’s sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, while underscoring the need to address pending issues between the two countries, including the missing persons file, border demarcation, the displacement crisis, and Syrian detainees in Lebanon.
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