Syria rejects Trump plan to confront Hezbollah
June 17, 2026 Syrian Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa gestures while speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (Maxim Shipenkov/Pool Photo via AP) Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has reportedly rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposal that Syria take the lead in confronting Hezbollah, fearing such a move would be seen across the Arab world as defending Israel and would damage his regional standing. Trump recently praised al-Sharaa, claiming he “does not like Hezbollah” and suggesting Syria would do “a better job” than Israel at dealing with the …