A newly appointed U.S. envoy says she hopes Lebanese authorities are committed to making sure that the Hezbollah militant group is not a part of the new government in any form.

Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-backed militia, has long been the country’s dominant political force and has formed part of the government for decades.

A senior US official visiting Beirut warned on Friday against any Hezbollah presence in Lebanon's new government, saying the Iran-backed group was "defeated" in its war with Israel.Hezbollah slammed the remarks by US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus as "blatant interference",

U.S. deputy special envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus gives a statement after a meeting with the Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon February 7, 2025. REUTERS/Emilie Madi BEIRUT (Reuters) - The United States has set a "red line" that Shi'ite armed group Hezbollah should not be a member of Lebanon's next government after itr military defeat by Israel last year,

The U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Middle East Peace said repeatedly Friday that Hezbollah had been "militarily defeated" and that she hoped the Lebanese authorities were committed to ensuring the militant group doesn't form part of any new government.

Morgan Ortagus reaffirmed the Trump administration position that Hezbollah cannot be part of the next Lebanese government, even as Beirut warned that this could create a parliamentarian crisis.

President Donald Trump's envoy is set to deliver a firm message to Lebanese leaders during a visit on Thursday: the U.S. will not tolerate the unchecked influence of Hezbollah and its allies over the formation of a new government.

The leader of Lebanon's Shiite Muslim religious community shot back at US envoy Morgan Ortagus, who said on Friday that the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement should play no role in Lebanon's new government.