Morgan Ortagus at a press conference in Baabda, Lebanon, on Feb. 7, 2025. (Credit: Emilie Madi/Reuters)
Hezbollah should not be part of the Lebanese government, which Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam has been trying to form since mid-January, American envoy Morgan Ortagus stated from the presidential palace.
Speaking after a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the diplomat further stated that "Hezbollah's reign of terror in Lebanon and the world is over."
"Israel defeated Hezbollah and we are grateful to them, and we insist that Hezbollah should in no way participate in the new Lebanese government," she said. She also emphasized that "America is committed to its partnership" with Lebanon and has "high hopes" for the future, due to the rise to power of "credible and committed men, who will ensure that corruption ends, just like Hezbollah's influence." She further affirmed that Washington is committed to the Feb. 18 date being the end of the implementation of cease-fire terms in Lebanon, notably the Israeli withdrawal, and that it be respected.
Trump's congratulations to Joseph Aoun
During her meeting with the head of state, accompanied by a delegation including U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson, Ortagus conveyed Donald Trump's congratulations to Aoun for his election. She also conveyed Washington's "support" to Beirut.
The United States and France negotiated the cease-fire agreement in Lebanon, which ended the war between Hezbollah and the Israeli army, launched on Oct. 8, 2023, and lasting until Nov. 27, 2024. The fighting claimed over 4,000 lives and destroyed entire villages and neighborhoods in some regions of Lebanon, notably in the south, the Bekaa and the southern suburbs of Beirut. While the implementation period for the terms of this agreement was extended until Feb. 18, after an extension due to Israel's refusal to withdraw from south Lebanon, Washington is also taking charge of negotiating the release of Hezbollah prisoners captured by Israel during its ground offensive.
While Israel conducted strikes on Thursday night in the Nabatieh region and the border region with Syria in the Bekaa, Joseph Aoun also conferred with several security officials. He held a meeting with the interim director-general of General Security, responsible mainly for managing border posts, General Elias Baissari, and with the head of army intelligence services, General Tony Kahwagi, as well as with the interim commander, Major General Hassan Audi. They notably discussed the deployment of the Lebanese army south of the Litani, one of the conditions of the ceasefire agreement.
Lebanese army 'ready to deploy'
President Aoun expressed his thanks to Ortagus for Washington's support for Lebanon. He said that consultations to form the new government were “nearing completion,” and that this cabinet should be able to “respond to the aspirations and hopes of the Lebanese, in line with his inauguration speech.”
Aoun stressed that cooperation with international forces was continuing constructively to implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, adding that the Lebanese army was “ready to deploy in villages and localities from which Israeli forces would withdraw,” and insisting on a full Israeli withdrawal by the Feb. 18 deadline.
He also stressed “the need to put an end to Israeli aggression, including the assassination of civilians and soldiers, the destruction of homes and agricultural land” in southern Lebanon. He also recalled that the release of Lebanese prisoners held in Israel is “an integral part” of the cease-fire agreement.