From Beirut, US envoy Thomas Barrack warns Hezbollah against joining Israel-Iran war

US special envoy for Syria and ambassador to Turkey, Thomas Barrack, issued a stark warning to Hezbollah during an official visit to Beirut on Thursday, cautioning that any involvement by the group in the war between Israel and Iran would be "a very, very, very bad decision".

Speaking after his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Barrack said the US had remained committed to helping Lebanon weather the current crisis, while stressing that Hezbollah's entry into the war would only worsen an already volatile regional situation.

Hezbollah, a close ally of Iran, has so far refrained from direct involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, despite offering verbal support to Tehran following Israel's deadly strikes on Iranian military leadership on 13 June.

Lebanese officials have reportedly pressured the group to avoid escalating the conflict further, fearing catastrophic consequences for Lebanon.

Barrack's trip to Beirut is his first in this capacity and comes at a time of unprecedented tension across the region. The envoy, who has Lebanese heritage, met earlier in the day with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and other senior officials, including US Ambassador Lisa Johnson.

During his meeting with Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Barrack reiterated Washington's support for Lebanon's stability and for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

Barrack emphasised 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".

He added: "We are committed to helping Lebanon, and we remain hopeful."

Aoun calls for US backing, renewed UN role

President Aoun called on Washington to support Lebanon's recovery efforts across all sectors, particularly by helping to secure the country's southern border.

He called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from five strategic hills still under occupation, the cessation of hostilities, and the renewal of the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission under UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

Aoun emphasised that the LAF, deployed south of the Litani River, were fully implementing the resolution, dismantling armed outposts, seizing weapons and ammunition, and blocking all non-state armed presence.

But he warned that Israel's continued occupation of those hills prevents the army from completing its mission.

The president also informed Barrack that Lebanon was engaged in ongoing efforts to consolidate the state’s exclusive control over weapons, both at the Lebanese and Palestinian levels in an indirect reference to Hezbollah's arsenal.

These efforts, he said, would intensify once the regional situation stabilises. Plans to begin disarmament operations in Palestinian camps around Beirut this week were reportedly postponed due to the escalation between Israel and Iran.

Aoun assured Barrack that "the reform process has indeed started and will continue", reaffirming Lebanon’s commitment to combating corruption and rebuilding state institutions.

US reaffirms support for Lebanese army

Barrack, in turn, conveyed President Donald Trump's "clear desire" to help Lebanon overcome the political, security, and financial challenges it faces.

He stressed continued US backing for the Lebanese army and for reform efforts pursued by Lebanese authorities.

Despite earlier reports suggesting that Massaad Boulos, a senior adviser to Trump on Africa and a figure with deep ties to the Lebanese-American community, would accompany Barrack, he was notably absent from Thursday's meetings and official photographs.

Boulos had played a key role in Trump’s presidential campaign and had previously served as an adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs before being reassigned to the Africa file.