Trump Suggests Syrian Forces Confront Hezbollah With Precision
Trump Reiterates Syrian Role Against Hezbollah
US President Donald Trump doubled down on his suggestion that Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa intervene against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump stated that Sharaa would be more precise than Israel and that he is considering giving a green light for the action. Trump made the remarks in a Fox News interview on Tuesday, reiterating a proposal from last month that Syrian forces could confront Hezbollah without knocking down buildings. [2] Trump said Sharaa “would be more precise than Israel” in confronting the group and would do so without “knocking down buildings.” [2] When asked if he thought Sharaa would be more precise, Trump replied, “I think he’d be more precise, yeah, and I can tell you I know he’d like to do it.” [2] He said he was “thinking about” giving the Syrian president a “green light” to intervene in Lebanon against the group. [2]
Syrian Rejection and Context
The suggestion has been widely rejected in Syria, with observers calling it stupid due to sectarian dynamics and war exhaustion after years of conflict in which Hezbollah supported the former Assad regime. [2] Syrian observers have previously told The New Arab that it would be “stupid” to get involved in Lebanon, partly because of the sectarian dynamics involved. [2] “There is no way the Syrian government is going to do that. You can criticise Ahmed al-Sharaa for lots of things, but he isn’t stupid, and you would have to be stupid to do what Trump is talking about,” Syrian author Robin Yassin-Kassab told The New Arab last month. [2] Syrians are also exhausted by the years-long conflict in their country, which has destroyed much of its infrastructure. [2] Hezbollah intervened in Syria during the conflict to support the regime of former dictator Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown in December 2024. [2] Sharaa at the time ruled out any intervention in Lebanon against the group. [2]
Trump's Call for Israeli Redeployment
Trump's comments follow reports that he asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw Israeli troops from Syria and Lebanon to reduce tensions, though Netanyahu insisted on maintaining security zones. [2] According to Axios, Trump spoke to Netanyahu on the phone last Thursday that the presence of Israeli troops on Syrian territory was creating tension and could lead to military escalation. [2] "They don't want you there. You should redeploy," Trump said, according to a US official. [2] Netanyahu however retorted that Israel needed “security zones” in Lebanon and Syria. [2] After the 2024 overthrow of the Assad regime, Israel occupied areas of Syria beyond the Golan Heights and makes frequent incursions into Syrian towns and villages. [2]
Argentina Protests British Naval Vessel
Separately, Argentina's Milei government formally protested to Britain over the HMS Medway's movements in waters it claims around the Falklands, citing violations of bilateral agreements and UN resolutions. [3] Barely two hours had passed since Argentina’s victory over England at the 2026 World Cup, and television screens were still showing Argentine players celebrating with a banner reading “The Falkland Islands [known in Argentina as the Malvinas] are Argentine.” [3] It was at that moment that Javier Milei’s government chose to publicize a formal diplomatic note it had submitted at least two days earlier to the British Embassy, expressing its “strongest rejection” of the deployment of the military vessel HMS Medway in waters of the South Atlantic that Argentina considers to be under its jurisdiction. [3] According to the official statement, the Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Medway, “illegally deployed in the Falkland Islands,” made movements that “were not properly notified in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and declarations,” and that “involved transit through Argentine territorial waters.” [3] The government statement added that Argentina “firmly rejects this British military incursion into areas under Argentine jurisdiction, which forms part of a longstanding policy of unilateral actions incompatible with United Nations resolutions and with the obligation of both parties to refrain from altering the situation while the sovereignty dispute remains unresolved.” [3] The presence of the military vessel had been denounced a week earlier by the government of Tierra del Fuego province. [3]
North Korea Warns Over RIMPAC Drills
North Korea threatened proportional countermeasures against South Korea's leading role in the US-led RIMPAC maritime exercise, accusing participants of escalating Pacific tensions. [4] North Korea on Friday denounced South Korea’s leading role in a recent US-led multinational maritime exercise, warning that the drills would trigger “proportional countermeasures” from countries in the region. [4] In a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang accused participants in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, or RIMPAC, of escalating military tensions in the Pacific. [4] “The reckless acts of international outlaws are bound to prompt a chain of proportional countermeasures by regional countries to resolutely deter and contain them,” KCNA said. [4] It added that strengthening military deterrence to defend national sovereignty and regional stability was an “independent right that no one can prevent.” [4] KCNA, in particular, singled out South Korea, saying it had participated as a “main component” of the exercise and referring to its forces as “puppets.” [4] RIMPAC, billed by the US military as the world’s largest international maritime exercise, began June 24 in and around Hawaii and is scheduled to run through July 31. [4] Some 30 countries, more than 30 ships, five submarines, over 200 aircraft and about 30,000 personnel are participating. [4] South Korea, which first joined the biennial exercise in 1990, is serving as the Combined Forces Maritime Component Commander for the first time. [4]
Houthi Threat to Key Shipping Strait
Britain's Telegraph reported that Yemen's Houthis are preparing to block the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which could disrupt global shipping. [5] Yemen’s Houthi movement is preparing to block the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital maritime route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, according to a report published by Britain’s The Telegraph. [5] If carried out, the move could disrupt global shipping and force commercial vessels to take longer routes around southern Africa. [5]
What to watch next: Observers will monitor whether the Houthis follow through on preparations to block the Bab al-Mandab Strait as reported
