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US Deputy Middle East Envoy Morgan Orthagus said she was ‘not afraid’ of the Lebanese Armed Group Hezbollah.
The United States have demanded that hezbollah must not be part of Lebanon’s government.
Washington’s Deputy Middle East Envoy Morgan Orthagus said on Friday after meeting Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun that she was “not afraid” of the armed group “because they’ve been defeated militarily”. However, she said that the us has made its continued role in the government a “red line”.
The Shia Muslim, Iran-Backed, Hezbollah is Believed to Have Bone Weakened by Israel’s Recent War on Lebanonbut maintains a significant political role.
“We have set clear red lines… that [Hezbollah] wondered to terrorize the Lebanese people, and that includes by being a part of the government, ”Orthagus Told Reporters.
Later on Friday, the Head of Hezbollah’s Parliamentary Bloc, Mohammed Council, Slammed Orthagus’s Comments as “Blatant Interference” in Lebanon’s Affairs.
Orthagus’s Statement was “full of malice and ir-resibility” and attacked a component of “Lebanese political life”, council said in a statement, adding that the remarks amounts amounted to “blatant interference in Lebanon’s sovereignty”.
Orthagus is the first senior US official to visit Lebanon Since US President Donald Trump took office and synth Aoun was elected president.
Her visit comes amid a stalled cabinet formation process in Lebanon, where government posts are apportioned on sectarian lines. Hezbollah’s Ally, the Amal Movement, has insisted on approving all shia muslim ministers, keeping the process in deadlock.
Orthagus had been widely expected to deliver a tough message to Lebanese officials about hezbollah.
Lebanese accounts on x shared photos and videos of a demonstration near Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Hero in Protest Against Orthagus’ Statements.
من امام مطار بيروت#لبنان pic.twitter.com/f5scn1srjb
– Ahmad Hamieh🇦🇷🇦🇷 (@Ahmadhamieh313) February 7, 2025
Translation: In front of Beirut Airport.
طريج المطار منذ بعض الوقت#مises pic.twitter.com/zkcjmgyynt
– Mulhak – ملحistics (@mulhak) February 7, 2025
Translation: Airport Road some time ago.
The CEASEFIRE BROKERED by the United States and France to End the fighting In late November set a deadline of 60 days for Israel to withdraw from South Lebanon, and for hezbollah to pull out its fireters and arms and for Lebanese Troops to deploy to the area.
However, Israeli forces have remained in South Lebanon to conduct demolishing operations in Border Villages and the withdrawal deadline has now been extended to February 18.
Orthagus referred to the new withdrawal date on Friday but did not explicitly say the Israeli army would withdraw from Lebanese territory.
“February 18 will be the date for redeployment, when the [Israeli] troops will finish their redeployment, and of course, the [Lebanese] Troops will come in behind them, so we are very committed to that firm date, ”she said.
