Trump on Hezbollah: Syria will deal with them

TT

Published 13.16

 

US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. Photo: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP/TT

Israel's warfare in Lebanon is of a "minor" nature and the Iran deal can survive even if Israel continues its attacks, claims US President Donald Trump - who also suggests that Syria should "deal with" the Shiite militia.

Iran, for its part, has highlighted Lebanon as the "most important issue" of the deal.

- Iran is the big one, but we have a little thorn in our side out there that always rises up and that's Hezbollah, Trump said according to media reports at the G7 summit in France.

The move comes just hours after he digitally signed the deal with Iran that is intended to pave the way for a “real” peace agreement in the Iran-Iraq war – and which includes an end to fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Shia militia Hezbollah in Lebanon.

No Boy Scout

Donald Trump claims at the same time that he has a different idea about how Hezbollah should be handled: He says he has suggested to Israel that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa take on the job.

– Israel has been fighting Hezbollah for too long and too many people are being killed. . . I think they (Syria) are doing a better job, he says according to AFP.

The president adds that al-Sharaa does not like Hezbollah and that he is “not a Boy Scout”.

That Lebanon is also included in the peace agreement between the US and Iran was a strict demand from Tehran. The country stressed on Tuesday that the occupation of southern Lebanon must end, according to the agreement, and warned that continued Israeli attacks could overturn the entire agreement.

Vaguely worded

However, in parallel, the Lebanese news agency NNA reported on shelling and drone attacks in the southern parts of the country.

The paragraph on Lebanon in the memorandum of understanding is said to be vaguely worded. According to Israeli media, Israel interprets this as meaning that its actions in the country are not limited. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that forces will remain in the neighboring country “as long as necessary.”