Trump’s envoy visits Lebanon amid fears of a fragile ceasefire

The Trump administration’s supreme envoy to the Middle East in Lebanon was on Saturday, amid American pressure on the country to suppress Hezbollah and Kettatat with Israel despite a The United States stopped.

Morgan Ortridos, the deputy envoy of President Trump in the Middle East, met with senior officials after the strikes over the past two weeks threatened the truce that entered into force in November.

The Lebanese government is trying to rebuild the country in the wake of the devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah, where about 4,000 people were killed in Lebanon and about a million people. Hezbollah, the Iranian -backed armed group, which has been a dominant force in Lebanon for a long time, was very weak in the war, but it still has a major impact.

On Saturday morning, Mrs. Ortagus met the new president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, to discuss issues, including the situation in southern Lebanon, according to a statement issued by the office of Mr. Aoun. Under the ceasefire, the Lebanese army is supposed to take over the south of the country, as Hezbollah has long been firm.

Last week, the militants fired rockets at Israel, prompting the Israeli forces to bomb the outskirts of Beirut, the capital, in southern Lebanon. Israel later It hit the area south of Beirut – known as Dahiya – in what he said he was targeting Hezbollah official, raising more fears that the truce could collapse.

Hezbollah denied any link to missile fire. Israel nor Hezbollah has appeared appetite to return to war on a large scale. The ceasefire continued, at least at the present time, despite the tensions.

Mrs. Ortridos and Mr. Aoun also discussed the ongoing financial reforms by the new Lebanese government, according to the Lebanese statement. Lebanese officials hope to help the effort Increase external assistance – including from the United States – to rebuild the country.

The World Bank said last month that the overall damage and economic loss resulting from the war amount to 14 billion dollars, and Lebanon needs 11 billion dollars to rebuild.

Experts say the amount of international aid is likely to depend on whether the Lebanese government can confirm its control of the country, including the disarmament of Hezbollah. Before the war, the armed group was so strong that it was considered a state within the country in general.