Lebanon has entered another waiting phase as political leaders brace for fallout from what appeared to be a setback in US mediation efforts with Israel, after American negotiators failed to secure clear commitments that could support Beirut’s plan to dismantle Hezbollah’s arsenal.
US deputy envoy for Middle East affairs Morgan Ortagus returned to Israel along with Senator Lindsey Graham for further talks, following a sharp Lebanese reaction to US demands that Hezbollah disarm before any discussion of Israeli concessions.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri voiced frustration over the outcome of the US delegation’s visit, telling Asharq Al-Awsat the Americans had brought “the opposite of what they promised,” referring to expectations that Washington would press Israel to respond to a step-by-step approach advocated by US envoy Tom Barrack.
Instead, he said, the delegation insisted that Hezbollah disarm before Israel takes any reciprocal action, such as withdrawing from Lebanese territory or halting cross-border attacks.
“The American delegation brought nothing from Israel, and things have become complicated again,” Berri said.
He declined to discuss next steps, stressing only that the situation was “not easy.” Asked about a Sept. 2 cabinet meeting to examine the army’s plan for Hezbollah’s disarmament, he replied: “Anything that leads to internal division is unacceptable.”
A senior Lebanese source said Tuesday’s cabinet session to review the army’s plan for disarming Hezbollah was still on schedule “for now,” but did not rule out a short delay if political tensions deepen.
The source said contacts were underway to ease the deadlock highlighted by Berri’s remarks and to revive “fruitful dialogue” with the Americans and Lebanon’s other allies in a bid to chart a roadmap out of the crisis.
Hezbollah urges government to ‘correct the mistake’
In its first reaction, Hezbollah accused Washington of seeking to dismantle Lebanon’s defenses and drag Beirut toward normalization with Israel, warning that the government had fallen into a “grave mistake” by entertaining US demands for the group’s disarmament.
Hussein al-Khalil, political aide to Hezbollah’s leader, said US pressure aimed to turn Lebanon into an “American-Israeli colony” and push it toward the Abraham Accords. He warned that involving the army in confronting Hezbollah would pit soldiers against their own people and risk “tearing down two pillars of the country, the army and the resistance.”
Khalil cautioned officials against “falling into deadly traps” that could spark civil war, recalling that Lebanon’s 1975–90 conflict was ended by the Taif Accord. He urged President Jospeh Aoun and other leaders to shield the army from internal strife and resist international proposals that “threaten Lebanon’s security, sovereignty and stability.”
US envoy cancels border tour
On Wednesday, Barrack scrapped a planned visit to Lebanon’s southern border after protesters in the area opposed his tour. He instead received a briefing from Brigadier General Nicolas Tabet, head of the South Litani sector, who described Israeli practices hindering the army’s full deployment along the frontier.
Lebanon’s state news agency said Barrack arrived by helicopter at an army base in the southern town of Marjayoun amid tight security. It later reported he canceled stops in the nearby town of Khiam, bombed by Israel during its last war with Hezbollah, and in the coastal city of Tyre.
Photos and footage showed Hezbollah supporters waving the group’s flags and carrying portraits of fighters killed in Israeli strikes as they protested Barrack’s visit, blocking roads and denouncing what they called Washington’s “biased policies.”
The Lebanese army had deployed in the area, including at the northern entrance of Khiam, to secure the envoy’s trip amid calls for demonstrations. Some protesters stomped on a painted Star of David on the road, beside graffiti reading “America the Great Satan” in Arabic and “Barrack is an animal” in English, according to AFP.
Meanwhile, Israeli violations continued in south Lebanon, where a powerful pre-dawn explosion was heard after the Israeli army detonated an object inside the border town of Kfarkila, with echoes felt across nearby villages in Marjayoun district.
An Israeli drone also dropped leaflets over several southern towns, including Adaisseh and Kfarkila, warning “village officials linked to Hezbollah” and urging residents to “stay away from them because they are a target.”
