US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he had suggested that Syria could take on a greater role in dealing with Hezbollah in Lebanon, while also criticising Israel’s ongoing military approach and urging a faster and more “responsible” resolution to the conflict. Speaking at the G7 summit, Trump said he had conveyed to Israeli leadership that if its military campaign against militant groups in Lebanon continued to result in heavy civilian casualties, then alternative regional actors, including Syria, could potentially be considered for addressing the situation.

His remarks came amid ongoing cross-border tensions involving Hezbollah and Israel. Trump described Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as playing a “very positive” role in regional dynamics and claimed that Damascus could, in his view, be more effective in dealing with Hezbollah than Israel’s current approach. He stated that Sharaa “does not like them” and suggested that Syria had a stronger incentive or capability to act against the group under current geopolitical conditions.

The US President added that Israel’s operations in Lebanon had been prolonged and costly in terms of human lives. He said he had urged Israel to reconsider its strategy, arguing that the campaign had not achieved results quickly enough and had led to unnecessary loss of life. According to Trump, a more efficient approach was needed to stabilise the region. He also directed criticism toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that the Israeli leadership needed to be more “responsible” in its handling of the Lebanon situation.

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While he did not explicitly confirm a diplomatic breakdown, Trump’s remarks came amid reports of strained relations between the two leaders. Trump further said that if Israel was unable to “do the job” effectively against Hezbollah, then Syria could potentially assume a greater role in addressing the group. He characterised this as a pragmatic suggestion rather than a formal policy shift, but the statement nevertheless marked an unusual public endorsement of Syrian involvement in Lebanese security matters.

His comments are likely to draw scrutiny from international observers given the complex political and military dynamics in the region, where multiple state and non-state actors are already deeply involved. Syria’s own internal political history and ongoing reconstruction challenges add further sensitivity to any proposal involving expanded regional security responsibilities. The remarks also come at a time when the broader Middle East remains highly volatile, with Lebanon facing continued instability due to cross-border clashes and political fragmentation.

Analysts say any suggestion of shifting responsibility for armed group containment between regional powers could complicate existing diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation. While Trump did not announce any formal policy changes, his statements underscore ongoing debates within international diplomacy over burden-sharing, military strategy, and the long-term approach to armed non-state actors in conflict zones. The G7 setting further amplified the attention on his comments, given the presence of multiple global leaders engaged in discussions on regional security and conflict resolution.

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