The United States cannot force Israel to halt military action in Lebanon, special envoy Thomas Barrack said on Monday, brushing aside Beirut’s call for Washington to guarantee an end to Israeli strikes if Hezbollah disarms.
Barrack, on his third visit to Lebanon in just over a month, met Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to discuss a U.S. roadmap that would see Hezbollah hand over its heavy weapons within four months in return for an Israeli pull‑back from remaining positions in southern Lebanon.
Asked whether Washington could ensure Israel’s compliance, Barrack replied: “The United States has no business trying to compel Israel to do anything.” He insisted the plan carried no punitive measures for Lebanese leaders if Hezbollah keeps its guns: “There’s no consequence, there’s no threat, there’s no whip.”
Lebanese officials want the United States to act as security guarantor, arguing that Israel continues to occupy at least five hilltop posts and conduct raids it says target Hezbollah fighters and arms stores. Hezbollah accuses Israel of violating the U.S.‑brokered truce that ended last year’s border war; Israel says the group is rebuilding its presence in the south despite handing some weapons to the Lebanese army.
Barrack—who also serves as U.S. ambassador to Turkey and envoy for Syria—said the wider roadmap includes economic reforms and improved relations with Damascus alongside the dismantling of all non‑state armed factions.
The 2024 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah ended with an agreement calling for mutual disengagement and a Lebanon free of militia weapons, starting with the border zone. Nearly a year later, both sides accuse the other of breaching the deal as skirmishes and airstrikes persist.