Al-Sharaa denies possibility of Syrian military intervention in Lebanon

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Friday asserted that U.S. claims and recent reports about a possible Syrian military intervention in Lebanon are mere rumors.

Syria's objective is to end the war in Lebanon, not to escalate it or become embroiled in it, Sharaa said.

In a statement to a delegation from the Damascus countryside, Sharaa added that the demarcation of the Syrian-Lebanese border is not a priority at present, given the existence of more pressing issues, most notably the situation of "approximately 1.4 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon and the need to develop a suitable mechanism to ensure their return."

In a recent interview, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Sharaa -- a former jihadist who has forged close ties with the United States -- would "love to help" in the Lebanon conflict.

"We can recommend Syria. Syria's doing a very good job of cleaning up their act. They have a very good leader," he said. "And he would love to help."