Speaking on June 8 about developments in Lebanon to NBCs Meet the Press, President Trump suggested that Syria could help facilitate “more surgical” strikes against Hezbollah. He also praised Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying he had succeeded in restoring a degree of stability to Syria after years of war and turmoil.

The war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah remains a major sticking point in US-Iran peace talks - but Donald Trump has a controversial solution. At the G7 summit, he said he wants Syria to militarily intervene in their neighbour and disarm the Iranian proxy by force.

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Tuesday panned President Trump for saying that Syria would more effectively combat Hezbollah than Israel. “I think that idea is absolutely absurd. Remember Syria’s record on human rights and its acting as a proxy for Russia,

President Trump broke sharply with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, declaring Israel has been “fighting Hezbollah too long” and killing too many civilians in Lebanon — and that Syria should finish the job instead.