U.S. Envoy Tom Barrack Holds Talks with Lebanon’s Leader
(MENAFN) Tom Barrack, the U.S. Special Envoy for Syria and Ambassador to Türkiye, held talks with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday in Beirut, marking a pivotal diplomatic engagement as regional tensions persist.
The Lebanese Presidency confirmed the meeting via a post on X, stating that Morgan Ortagus, the U.S. Deputy Middle East Envoy, also took part alongside a visiting delegation. The high-level talks were conducted at the Baabda Palace, located east of the capital.
No additional information about the discussions was made public.
Barrack landed in Beirut on Sunday evening, making this his fourth trip to Lebanon since June. His latest visit follows the Lebanese Cabinet's recent endorsement of a U.S.-backed roadmap that he proposed—an initiative that triggered fierce backlash from Hezbollah, which continues to reject disarmament.
The diplomatic efforts unfold against a volatile backdrop. Cross-border conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, which erupted in October 2023, escalated into full-scale war by September 2024. The fighting claimed the lives of approximately 4,000 people, including Hezbollah’s top leader Hasan Nasrallah, and left around 17,000 wounded.
Although a ceasefire was brokered in November, Israeli strikes have persisted across southern Lebanon, with the Israeli military citing ongoing Hezbollah activity as justification.
As part of the truce agreement, Israel was initially expected to complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by January 26. However, the deadline was pushed to February 18 after Israeli authorities declined to comply. Israel continues to occupy five strategic outposts along the border.
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