The United States is urging Lebanon to elect a new president "in the coming days" following significant Israeli airstrikes that have reportedly "weakened Hezbollah’s command and infrastructure," according to U.S. news outlet Axios.
Nejmeh square in downtown Beirut with the iconic clock tower and the Parliament building © Mena Today
The United States is urging Lebanon to elect a new president "in the coming days" following significant Israeli airstrikes that have reportedly "weakened Hezbollah’s command and infrastructure," according to U.S. news outlet Axios.
Two senior U.S. officials informed the platform that the White House sees the current situation in Lebanon as an opportunity to break the political deadlock that has left the country without a president for months. They emphasized that electing a president should be the "top priority," even surpassing efforts to push for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
With Hezbollah weakened by the recent Israeli strikes, U.S. officials believe that Lebanon is at a pivotal moment. The leadership vacuum, which has paralyzed the country’s political institutions, could now be addressed, allowing Lebanon to move toward greater stability.
The White House reportedly views this as a moment for Lebanese leaders to act decisively and find consensus on a new head of state.
While calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah have dominated international discourse, the U.S. is stressing that Lebanon’s internal political resolution should come first.
According to the U.S. officials, resolving Lebanon's leadership crisis would strengthen the country’s resilience in facing external pressures and long-term challenges.
The recent Israeli airstrikes targeted Hezbollah’s military command and infrastructure, dealing a blow to the militant group’s operational capabilities. U.S. officials believe that Hezbollah's diminished strength provides a rare chance for Lebanese political actors to negotiate without the group’s heavy influence, which has long been a point of contention in Lebanon's political gridlock.
US Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and James Lankford (R-OK) introduced legislation Thursday that would authorize up to $1.2 billion in security assistance to Lebanon over five years, with part of the funding conditioned on Beirut's progress toward a state monopoly on arms and the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Lebanon and Israel have agreed a shortlist of countries that could send troops to verify the disarmament of Hezbollah under a U.S.-brokered agreement, a Lebanese official said on Friday, with the United States due to pick countries from the list.
The French consulate in Lebanon announced on X that non-biometric Lebanese passports are no longer accepted for Schengen visa applications at Beirut's TLS center, which handles visa requests for France and other consular services.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.