Syria 'has no intention of entering Lebanon,' Shaibani confirms to Rajji

Syria "has no intention of entering Lebanon or interfering in any way in its internal affairs, " is what Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told his Lebanese counterpart, Joe Rajji, according to comments reported by the latter on X.

The statement comes after questions were repeatedly raised about a possible Syrian involvement in Lebanon, especially against Hezbollah, since the start of the Israeli offensive on Lebanon on March 2, with the Syrian army having bolstered its forces along the border.

Rajji indicated in this context, in a post, that he held an "informal" conversation with Shaibani on the sidelines of an Arab League meeting in Riyadh. The latter "confirmed to him that the deployment of Syrian forces at the border with Lebanon is solely to protect Syrian territory and to control the border against any threats to security or smuggling, emphasizing that Syria has no intention of entering Lebanon or interfering in any way in its internal affairs."

The Syrian Defense Ministry, cited by the Sana, also announced during the day that the security forces charged with protecting the border had thwarted in the jurd hinterland of Flita, west of Damascus, a "weapons smuggling attempt" between Lebanon and Syria. Four people, including two Lebanese, were arrested and weapons and ammunition were seized, according to the ministry.

While Reuters recently reported U.S.-Israeli pressure on Syria to act against Hezbollah, Damascus has said it categorically rejects any incursion into Lebanon or any confrontation with the Shiite party. U.S. envoy Tom Barrack denied any U.S. intention to stir up a conflict between Hezbollah and the Syrian authorities.

La Syrie « n'a aucune intention d'entrer au Liban », a confirmé Chaïbani à Raggi