American envoy Thomas Barrack in Ain al-Tineh, June 19, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria, Thomas Barrack, on an official visit to Beirut, warned Thursday that “if Hezbollah gets involved in the war [between Tel Aviv and Tehran], it would be a very bad decision,” following his meeting in Ain al-Tineh with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
So far, Hezbollah has not intervened directly in the conflict between Israel and Iran, its main backer. After Israeli airstrikes during the night of June 12–13 that decimated part of Iran’s military leadership and ignited the current war, the group expressed support for Tehran but stated it did not intend to launch attacks on Israel on its own. That stance followed pressure from Lebanese authorities urging restraint.
On the U.S. side, Donald Trump continues to send mixed signals about potential American involvement in the conflict.
A 'process of peace and improvement' for Lebanon
Barrack began his tour of Lebanese officials Thursday morning. This marks his first official visit to Lebanon, his country of origin, at a time when the region is experiencing unprecedented tensions.
After meeting with Berri, in Ain al-Tineh, Barrack emphasized that "we are bringing a message in the context of the complex situation the world is facing, and we believe that with the new leadership [composed of President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam], a process of peace and improvement will begin. We are committed to helping Lebanon, and we remain hopeful."
Earlier in the day, Barrack was received by Aoun at the Baabda Palace. President Aoun told the U.S. ambassador that Lebanon relies on Washington’s support to assist its efforts in rebuilding on all fronts, particularly in strengthening security and stability in Southern Lebanon.
He specifically called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the five hills that Israel continues to occupy on Lebanese territory, the cessation of hostilities, and the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which works in coordination with the Lebanese Army to implement Security Council Resolution 1701, according to the Lebanese presidency’s X account.
Disarmament contacts to intensify once regional situation stabilizes
The Lebanese president also reiterated that "the Lebanese Army, deployed south of the Litani, is fully implementing the provisions of Resolution 1701, dismantling armed manifestations, seizing weapons and ammunition, and prohibiting any armed presence other than the official security forces."
However, he clarified that "Israel’s persistent occupation of the five hills and their surrounding areas prevents the Army from fully carrying out its mission." Joseph Aoun also informed his guest that contacts are underway to achieve a monopoly on arms by the state, both in terms of Hezbollah's arsenal and Palestinian weapons, and that these efforts "will be intensified once the regional situation stabilizes," after the tensions sparked by the escalation of the Israeli-Iranian conflict. The disarmament of Palestinian camps was supposed to begin in Beirut’s camps on Monday, but the deadline has been postponed.
On Oct. 8, 2023, the day after Hamas’s attack on Israel and the start of the deadly Israeli offensive on Gaza, Hezbollah unilaterally decided to open a "support front" for the Palestinian movement, leading to 13 months of war, two of which were marked by a very violent Israeli escalation. Since then, Israeli airstrikes have killed over 4,000 people in Lebanon and devastated entire villages and neighborhoods, especially in the South, the Bekaa Valley, and the southern suburbs of Beirut, areas dominated by Hezbollah.
The Lebanese president further assured the U.S. ambassador that "the reform process has indeed been initiated and will continue," reiterating "Lebanon’s commitment to fighting corruption and strengthening its institutions."
US support for the Lebanese Army
Barrack reaffirmed to President Aoun "President Trump’s commitment to helping Lebanon overcome the circumstances and challenges it is facing," emphasizing "U.S. support for the Lebanese Army and the measures taken by Lebanese authorities on security, economic, and financial fronts."
Although several media outlets had reported that Africa advisor Massaad Boulos, also of Lebanese descent and father-in-law of Trump’s son-in-law, was supposed to accompany Barrack to Lebanon, he was not mentioned in the official statement issued by the Lebanese presidency following the meeting with President Aoun and does not appear in the accompanying photos. Boulos, who played a key role in Trump’s election campaign, especially among Arab American communities, had been appointed Senior Advisor for Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs after Trump took office before being later named Senior Advisor for Africa, a shift that some observers have linked to several controversies.