U.S. envoy: Hezbollah, defeated by Israel, should not be part of Lebanon's new cabinet

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus said Friday she was "not afraid" of Iran-backed Hezbollah because it was defeated by Israel militarily, stressing that the militant group should not be part of the new Lebanese government.

"The end of Hezbollah's reign of terror in Lebanon and around the world has started and it's over," said Ortagus, who is visiting Beirut on her first trip in her new role outside the United States.

She said after meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that Hezbollah was" defeated by Israel" and that the United States was "grateful" to its Israel ally for defeating it.

The once-powerful Hezbollah was greatly weakened after suffering devastating blows during 14 months of a destructive war with Israel that killed its top leaders and dismantled its military infrastructure.

The war, which started in October 2023 in support of Gaza, ended with a U.S.-brokered cease-fire agreement Nov 27.

After the cease-fire's 60-day deadline expired and Israel refused to complete the pullout of its forces from southern Lebanon, the deadline was extended to Feb. 18.

Israel argued that the Lebanese Army has been slow in redeploying, while Hezbollah still maintains its military presence in areas prohibited by the agreement.

Lebanon has accused the Israeli military of procrastinating its troop withdrawal.

Ortagus confirmed that Feb. 18 will be "the date for redeployment," adding "wherever the Israeli troops will finish their redeployment" and that the Lebanese Army troops "will come in behind them."

"So, we are very committed to that date," she said.

Ortagus emphasized that the new cabinet to be formed by Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam, who is committed to end corruption and introduce reforms, was to ensure that Hezbollah "is not a part of this government in any form," and that it "remains disarmed and militarily defeated."

When asked whether she was afraid that Hezbollah would take control of the new government, Ortagus said she was "certainly not afraid" of the defeated military group, adding that the United States has set "clear red lines" so that "they won't be able to terrorize the Lebanese people, and that includes by being a part of the government."

She noted that U.S. President Donald Trump was now placing pressure on Iran so that it can no longer fund its "terror proxies to the region" and won't achieve building a nuclear weapon.

Aoun, for his part, told the U.S. envoy that Israel should withdraw its troops from south Lebanon and stop "killing innocent civilians and destroying houses" in line with the cease-fire agreement to achieve "lasting stability" in the border area.

Aoun said the Lebanese Army was ready to deploy, and that Israel should stop its aggression and pull out its forces Feb. 18.

Ortagus' comments about Hezbollah's defeat and U.S. veto on its participation in the government were highly criticized by the group and other officials because they constitute "a blatant interference" in Lebanon's affaires and non-respect of its sovereignty.

They prompted the President's Press Office to issue a statement, saying that they expressed "her point of view" and that the Presidency "is not concerned with it".

Mohammad Raad, the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, denounced the U.S. envoy for making an "irresponsible" statement "full of hatred," against the party that exposed the "ugly" face of Israel that committed "genocide against the civilians" during its war in Gaza and Lebanon.

Mufti Ahmad Kabalan, head of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council, said Hezbollah was not and will not be defeated, as "no force in the world can get rid" of it.

"Lebanon will not be a colony of America or Israel," Kabalan said, dismissing Ortagus' "empty threats and intimidation."

The Israel-Hezbollah war, which killed or wounded more than 20,000 people in Lebanon and displaced some 1.2 million, resulted in widespread destruction of villages, property, hospitals and schools in Beirut's southern suburbs and in southern and eastern Lebanon.