Rubio to Lebanon: Deploying Army in South Is Not Enough; Disarming Hezbollah a Condition for Any Israeli Withdrawal

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed that deploying the Lebanese Army in the south of the country is not enough unless accompanied by the disarmament of Hezbollah, calling on the Lebanese Army to extend its control over the south and prevent any armed presence of the party.

Rubio stressed that Lebanon must take steps regarding the disarmament file before demanding additional Israeli withdrawal, placing this issue at the heart of the path proposed between Lebanon and Israel.

The US Secretary of State said that "the tripartite framework is the only path to lasting peace between Lebanon and Israel," emphasizing the necessity of implementing steps related to extending the authority of the Lebanese state in the south.

In this context, Rubio told Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam that US support for Lebanon comes apart from what he described as the "harmful influence" of Hezbollah and Iran.

Rubio's positions confirm Washington's insistence on linking the stabilization of security in the south to restricting armed presence and weapons to the Lebanese state, and on Lebanese steps in the file of disarming Hezbollah before moving to additional stages regarding Israeli withdrawal.