Hezbollah calls Lebanese president's U.S. visit unsuccessful

Hezbollah on Thursday branded Lebanese President Michel Aoun's recent visit to Washington a failure. The Iran-backed movement asserted the trip demonstrated the Lebanese government's subservience to foreign powers.

In a statement, Hezbollah lawmakers said Aoun's U.S. visit exposed "the extent of subservience and humility to foreign dictates." The movement claimed the visit did not secure a U.S. commitment for a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory or a halt to Israeli attacks. Hezbollah also stated the visit failed to create conditions for the safe return of displaced people or the start of reconstruction for destroyed infrastructure.

Aoun met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday. During their White House talks, Aoun stressed the need for a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon. When asked if Washington would exert further pressure on Israel regarding this issue, Trump responded that he would address it.

Hezbollah reiterated its opposition to direct negotiations between Beirut and Israel, which began in April. The group also rejected a U.S.-brokered framework agreement signed in June. Hezbollah continues to demand a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.

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the extent of subservience and humility to foreign dictates

Under the framework agreement, the Lebanese army is to disarm Hezbollah, and Israeli troops are to withdraw from areas where the Lebanese armed forces will then enter. The Lebanese army began deploying soldiers in the town of Zawtar al-Gharbíja on Tuesday. Army commander Rudolf Hajkal visited the town on Thursday to assess measures for ensuring residents' safe return.

Despite a decrease in violence after the agreement's signing, Israel occasionally attacks southern Lebanon. On Thursday, Lebanon's state news agency NNA reported a "massive explosion" caused by Israeli troops in the At-Tiri border area. A worker from Syria was injured by Israeli soldiers' gunfire in another part of southern Lebanon.

Conversely, supporters of Lebanon's federalization welcomed Aoun's visit to Washington, according to SyriacPress. They view it as strengthening the country's international standing, potentially spurring Hezbollah's disarmament, and restoring the Lebanese state's full sovereignty. However, the civic organization Federal Lebanon cautioned that Aoun's visit alone would not resolve the issue of Hezbollah's disarmament.

During his visit, Aoun also met with U.S. Secretary of State Marc Rubio, who praised the Lebanese government's efforts to restore state sovereignty and its monopoly on arms.

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I will address it