Ortagus in Beirut: American Support for the Lebanese Army Despite Israeli Violations

In a new step reflecting American interest in stability in Lebanon, American envoy Morgan Ortagus participated yesterday, Sunday, in a meeting of the committee overseeing the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel in Naqoura.

A knowledgeable political source confirmed that Ortagus was briefed during the meeting on the commencement of the first phase of the disarmament plan, which extends until the end of 2025.

The source confirmed that the Lebanese side informed the American envoy that the repeated violations by Israel represent a real obstacle to the implementation of this phase of the plan, pointing to Lebanese concerns about the impact of these violations on the stability of the situation in southern Lebanon.

The source emphasized that Ortagus reacted positively to these concerns, stressing that Washington is giving significant attention to supporting the Lebanese army and enabling it to implement the plan to confine weapons to the state, which reflects clear American political and technical support for this file.

For its part, the Lebanese side requested technical assistance from the United States to facilitate the implementation of the plan, starting from the first phase, amid the ongoing Israeli occupation of strategic hills on the border and conducting repeated airstrikes on towns in southern Lebanon, in addition to the flight of Israeli drones over Beirut.

The presence of Ortagus in the ceasefire monitoring committee comes as a strong indicator of American political support for the Lebanese army, which faces significant obstacles in its mission to deploy southward and confine weapons due to repeated Israeli violations.

It is noteworthy that the ceasefire agreement, which came into effect on November 28, 2024, did not prevent Israel from continuing its airstrikes and violations, prompting the Lebanese government to demand an end to these violations, halt the airstrikes, and withdraw from the five hills occupied by Israeli forces on the border.

Ortagus's repeated visits to Lebanon come amid ongoing security tensions, as the international community, led by the United States, seeks to support the Lebanese army as a key tool for maintaining national security and stability, within a comprehensive plan to confine weapons to the Lebanese state.