As US-brokered direct talks between Lebanon and Israel unfold in Washington, Congress is stepping up pressure of a different kind, pushing the Lebanese army to act on pledges to disarm Hezbollah or face a freeze in annual US military aid.
Senior congressional sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Republicans have “grown tired of hearing promises from the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah without seeing real effort on the ground.”
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to ongoing internal deliberations, said “the time has come for serious action,” adding that the army must prove its credibility.
They noted that funding approved by Congress comes from US taxpayers, stressing that amid heightened scrutiny of public spending under President Donald Trump, lawmakers want to ensure “every dollar is spent for a meaningful purpose.”
Pressure builds
The message is echoed by key Senate Republicans.
Senator Roger Wicker, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued a public call to halt US support to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) unless they act to “completely” and “immediately” disarm Hezbollah.
Wicker made the statement on X after a French service member was killed in southern Lebanon. France has accused Hezbollah of killing the peacekeeper.
“Hezbollah’s killing of a French service member in southern Lebanon, only days after Israel agreed to a ceasefire, is a critical test for the Lebanese Armed Forces. Congress should not support the LAF unless it acts to disarm Hezbollah completely — and immediately,” Wicker wrote on X.
On Tuesday, Senator Jim Risch, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made a similar call.
Risch said he agreed with Wicker, adding it was “well past time for the LAF to take tangible action to fully disarm Hezbollah and for the Lebanese government to follow through on long-promised economic reform.”
Risch said “the era of complacency and unconditional bailouts must come to an end.”
Commander under fire
In Washington, doubts are growing over Lebanese army commander Rodolphe Haykal.
Most US officials have avoided publicly calling for his removal, but Republican Senator Lindsey Graham did not. He said this week he does not trust the army to disarm Hezbollah and that Haykal should be replaced before there can be a credible plan.
Graham added that no peace deal in Lebanon will happen without a “credible path” to disarm the group.
Tensions surfaced during Haykal’s February visit to Washington, when Graham cut short a meeting after the Lebanese commander declined to label Hezbollah a terrorist organization, saying it was not so in the context of Lebanon.
"As long as this attitude persists within the Lebanese Armed Forces, I don't think we have a reliable partner in them," Graham said, echoing sentiment circulating in Congress, where lawmakers say disarming Hezbollah is the priority.
Talks seen as positive
Despite warnings about the lack of alternatives to the Lebanese army, congressional sources said aid cannot continue to be sent “blindly,” calling for strict conditions.
Lawmakers are closely watching the US-backed talks between Lebanon and Israel, describing the track as “positive” and strongly supporting the White House effort.
They acknowledge the complexity of the Lebanese file but say past approaches have failed, calling for a shift in strategy.
Wider US role
The US president’s move to return Lebanon to Washington’s strategic agenda, alongside a pledge to “make Lebanon great again,” includes tasking Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine with working alongside Israel and Lebanon toward “sustainable peace.”
The inclusion of Caine suggests a more active US military role.
Former US ambassador to Lebanon David Hale said one lesson Washington drew from last year is that the role of US Central Command in the monitoring group was limited, with forces confined to observation.
Speaking at a Middle East Institute event in Washington attended by Asharq Al-Awsat, he said the United States needs to go beyond monitoring, while stressing this does not mean imposing Lebanese sovereignty.
Hale noted that the Lebanese army must remain the implementing force, but Washington can be more engaged, not only through equipment and aid, but also by providing advice and more active intelligence support.
He said strong person-to-person ties between the US and Lebanese militaries could help build confidence and motivation among Lebanese personnel to carry out their duties.
Reform, sanctions in focus
Economic reform is also high on the agenda.
Congressional sources said failure to advance banking reforms creates “a major loophole” that allows Hezbollah to maintain its influence.
“We are in a vicious cycle. If Lebanon’s political class is not prepared to turn words into action, why should we continue to bail it out?” the sources said.
They added that lawmakers are watching Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, warning that sanctions against reform obstructers remain possible.
Aid under review
As Congress sets defense spending priorities, some lawmakers are moving to translate their stance into amendments to final bills.
Since 2006, the United States has provided more than $2.5 billion in military aid to Lebanon to bolster border security, counterterrorism, and the army as a state institution.
Under Trump’s second administration, more than $117 million announced in January 2025 is aimed at helping the army maintain the ceasefire with Israel and implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
In October 2025, Washington approved $230 million in security assistance, including $190 million for the army and $40 million for internal security forces, following a separate $14.2 million package announced in September to boost the army’s ability to dismantle weapons stockpiles and infrastructure of non-state actors, including Iran-backed Hezbollah.
