Opposition groups in Lebanon, as well as Hariri supporters, openly accused Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime of being responsible for the killing. The Bush administration, while not formally blaming Syria, virtually did so and recalled its ambassador to Damascus.
前黎巴嫩总理拉菲克·哈里里遇刺之后，全世界的目光都盯住了叙利亚。黎巴嫩反对党和哈里里的支持者公开指责叙利亚总统巴沙尔·阿萨德政权要对刺杀事件负责。布什政府虽然没有正式指责叙利亚，却用实际行动表达了相同的意思，召回了驻大马士革的大使。叙利亚拒绝按照联合国决议从黎巴嫩撤出军队，有消息说这引起了美国的极大愤慨。