US special envoy meets with Lebanese president in Beirut

By Betul Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) - US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the Lebanese capital on Monday.

The Lebanese Presidency said on US social media company X that US Deputy Middle East Envoy Morgan Ortagus also joined the meeting, along with an accompanying delegation at the Baabda Palace east of Beirut.

The presidency has revealed no further details regarding the talks.

Barrack, who also serves as US Ambassador to Türkiye, arrived in Beirut on Sunday evening for his fourth visit since June.

The envoy’s latest visit comes 10 days after Lebanon’s Cabinet endorsed the objectives of a roadmap that he proposed, a move that drew sharp opposition from Hezbollah, which rejected surrendering its weapons.

Cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah began in October 2023 and escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024. As many as 4,000 people, including Hezbollah chief Hasan Nasrallah, were killed, and around 17,000 others were injured.

A ceasefire was reached in November, but Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah activity.

Under the truce, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.